


Number 5 Oceanfront Street

by 30secondfics



Series: The Secret Wedding [2]
Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: Angst, Babies, Drama, F/F, Family, Fluff, Gay Rights, Honeymoon, Hurt/Comfort, Smut, lesbian wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 05:15:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19660570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/30secondfics/pseuds/30secondfics
Summary: 3 short stories that capture Patsy and Delia’s life in Brighton after their Secret Wedding that nobody asked for but I felt inclined to write.(1) “Le Hotel Busby-Mount” - After Valerie and Lucille’s secret wedding in 1966, Patsy and Delia offer their beach home to the privacy-deprived honeymooners.(2) “MidWIVES” - Patsy and Delia’s struggles and triumphs as a same-sex couple trying to have children in 1967.(3) “Why We March” - Patsy and Delia finally have a happy little family of their own and life appears to be sailing smoothly, until an old patient of Patsy’s exposes their secret relationship. Concurrent with the 1970 Gay Rights Movement in the UK.





	1. Le Hotel Busby-Mount

**Author's Note:**

> The Secret Wedding Epilogue: After their secret wedding ceremony in January of 1963, Patsy and Delia stayed at Nonnatus House for two more years. Once Delia completed her midwifery course, they moved to Brighton to start the next chapter of their life together at an ocean-side property Patsy’s father had owned. That same year, Phyllis Crane retired and Patsy and Delia made the journey back to Poplar to join the Nonnatus women in an extravagant retirement party. All of Poplar, and all of the children Nurse Crane had delivered during her years of service, attended. During Patsy and Delia’s visit, they learned of Valerie’s engagement to a new midwife named Lucille Anderson. A year later, Patsy and Delia returned to Poplar for another secret wedding.  
> In 1967, Patsy and Delia felt it was the right time to start a family. With a donation from a dear friend, Patsy conceived their daughter, Elisabeth Busby-Mount, named after Patsy’s sister. A year later, Delia conceived their son, Peter Busby-Mount, named after Patsy’s father. Though, both children were legally registered under the Mount surname. Patsy never used her inheritance on material luxuries, and instead used it to protect her family from the world they lived in. Patsy hired a very expensive lawyer who found loopholes and continuously defend their rights. This lawyer ensured she and Delia had parental rights over their children; that Delia and the kids would be her beneficiaries, in the event of her sudden death; and on multiple occasions, the lawyer had had to save Patsy and Delia from losing their jobs over speculations of their relationship. Patsy also used her money to hire a prestige tutor so that Elizabeth and Peter could be home-schooled. This gave the Busby-Mount children a superior education and it protected them from the stigma of being, by law, illegitimate children. Elisabeth would later grow up to be an epidemiology professor, and Peter, an architect.  
> In 1969, the Stonewall Riots erupted in New York City and the news reached the United Kingdom. Patsy and Delia and their children watched history unfold from behind their television screens, hoping and rooting for a better day for families like theirs. This was the start of the gay rights movement. A year later, the Gay Front Liberation (GLF), a British gay activist group, formed in London. Delia joined first, and after convincing Patsy, who had always been hesitant about being associated with the gay community, the two of them became part of the hundreds and then thousands of committed members. They participated in rallies for law reforms and education programs that strived to reduce the stigma and prejudice against the gay community. Eventually, after four decades, their collective work lead to the 2005 legal acknowledgment of same-sex unions, and then the 2014 legalization of same-sex marriage in the UK.  
> Patsy and Delia were together for sixty years, married for fifty-one, and married legally for four. At the end of their time on earth, they both knew that the long strenuous fight for their right to exist, their right to be a family, and their right to be together was worth it. Not once did they feel like giving up, or lost hope that they would always be unrecognized by the law. They stayed true to their vow to love each other and tackle the world together, vows they gave each other years and years ago at their Secret Wedding.

~ Brighton, 1966 ~

“Hello?” Delia answered the brand new phone in their kitchen.

“Delia! It’s Valerie Dyer.”

“Valerie! How are you?”

“Couldn’t be better. How are you? How’s life in Brighton? How’s Patsy?”

“Good, great, she’s at work-”

“Great! So listen, remember what Lucille and I told you at Nurse Crane’s retirement party?”

“How can I forget?”

“Well, a—window of opportunity—has finally opened up for us, and we can follow through with our plans.”

“Oh, that’s excellent, Valerie! When shall we come over?”

“I do apologise for the short notice, but you know how rare these instances occur—the nuns have decided to take a trip to Kent for Saint George’s Day. We’ll have Nonnatus House to ourselves for the day.”

“What day is that again?”

“This Saturday, April 23rd.”

“Oh dear, that’s only two days away...”

“I understand if you can’t leave work so suddenly and won’t be able to make the trip up to Poplar-”

“We’ll be there, Valerie.” Delia grinned mischievously, “It looks like Patsy and I will suddenly become ill with food poisoning.”

000

The small Nonnatus chapel was elegantly decorated with white ribbons and various hydrangeas from Peter Pickle’s shop. Patsy and Delia, Tom and Barbara, and two of Valerie’s friends all sat in their respective chairs as they waited for the ceremony to start.

“It feels like we were just here saying our vows, not so long ago,” Delia told her wife.

“Second best day of my life,” Patsy smiled and lifted Delia’s hand to her lips to give her knuckle a kiss.

“Second?” Delia gasped.

“The first…” Patsy held her wife’s hand in her own and admired the wedding band around her finger, “was the day you crashed into my dressing tray on Male Surgical and broke my sterile field.”

Delia couldn’t help but laugh.

“You really came crashing into my life, Delia, and it hasn’t been the same since.”

“I love you, you fool,” Delia sand with a smile.

“Welcome all...” Phyllis Crane, who had come out of retirement to officiate the ceremony, stood at the altar. All eyes were on her as she said her opening words, and soon Trixie Franklin, Valerie’s maid of honour, began to walk down the aisle.

Patsy and Delia gasped when they saw Valerie appear in a dapper grey suit, behind Trixie. The two women joined Phyllis at the front of the chapel before Cyril, Lucille’s best man, proceeded with his march. Then, Lucille appeared at the doorway in her white elegant dress.

“Oh…” Valerie felt the air leave her lungs as she saw Lucille in her dress for the first time. She was absolutely breathtaking.

Lucille gave her lover a smile and began her walk down the aisle. When they came face to face with each other, Phillis proceeded with the ceremony.

“We’ve gathered here today to witness the union of Lucille Anderson and Valerie Dyer. I have had the pleasure to work with them during my last couple of years as a midwife here at Nonnatus, and have witnessed them grow as women and grow in love. I have seen them give nothing but love and devotion to each other, and their work, and I am honoured to officiate this union.” Phyllis gave Valerie and Lucille a smile. “But enough about me, would you like to say your vows, Lucille?”

Lucille smiled in agreement. “Valerie…” she looked at her future wife, “the day I met you was the coldest day of my life.”

Valerie couldn’t help but laugh, recalling the winter of ‘63.

“I had fallen on the cobblestone, just before we met, but what I didn’t know was that I would fall again the moment I saw you.” Lucille blushed. She was well aware of how cheesy the speech leading to her vows were, but she had to say it out loud for the world to know. “I was but a stranger then, but you did not hesitate to tend to my wounds and warm me up with your kindness. Valerie, with this necklace I vow to care for you when you are unwell, to keep you warm on the coldest of days, and… to fall in love with you over and over again because you’re the only one worth falling for.”

Valerie felt her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

“Do you, Valerie, take Lucille to be your wife?” Phyllis asked.

“I do,” Valerie smiled. “More than anything, I do.”

Lucille unclasped the necklace and placed it around her lover’s neck. That way they could always wear their tokens without it interfering with their work.

“Valerie, would you now say your vows?” Phyllis encouraged.

Valerie took a deep breath and looked deep into her lover’s eyes.

“Lucille, I fell in love with you the moment you brought all that snow with you to Poplar. Ever since that day, there has been more singing in the bathroom, and in the clinic. You’ve brought so much music into my life, Lucille, I’ve never been much of a singer, but you’ve given me something to keep singing about.”

“It’s true, she won’t stop singing now,” Lucille told their loved ones.

Valerie blushed. “Lucille, with this necklace I vow to always be your duet partner, to love and support you in every challenge in life because I might not be the perfect person, or even a decent singer, but I know my life is better with you singing in it, and I will always fight for  _ us _ .”

“Do you, Lucille, take Valerie to be your wife?” Phyllis asked.

“I do,” Lucille promised. She lowered her head and let her lover put the necklace around her neck.

“If anyone shall object to this union you may speak now or forever hold your peace.” Phyllis waited for half a second. “Then by the power vested in me by the greater forces of the universe, I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Valerie and Lucille smiled at each other and locked lips for the first time as wives.

000

The small reception was held in the Nonnatus TV room, much like Patsy’s and Delia’s. Valerie and Lucille shared their first dance as the record played, and soon others joined them on the living room carpet. Patsy and Delia held each other in their arms as they swayed to the music, and eventually another dancing couple approached them with purpose.

“Are you two Patsy and Delia?” one of them asked.

“I’m Patsy and this is my wife, Delia,” Patsy answered.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” the woman smiled. “I’m Donna and this is my wife, Dawn.”

“Don and Dawn!” Patsy recalled with excitement. “Valerie was your best man at your wedding...”

“That’s right,” Don smiled. “You must be the one who wore her suit.”

“I am,” Patsy blushed.

“She’s told us so much about you two,” Dawn revealed.

“Good things, I hope,” Delia replied with a chuckle.

Dawn smiled. “We live on the upper-east end of town, I’m surprised we haven’t ran into each other.”

“We live in Brighton now,” Delia admitted.

“I mean, before. Valerie said you two were midwives here?”

“Oh, we didn’t really…” Patsy hesitated. “We mostly kept to ourselves, back in those days. We didn’t really socialise with other women like us.”

“That’s a shame,” Don admitted.

“We like to know people like us in our community. Would you join us for a drink after this song?” Dawn offered.

Patsy and Delia glanced at each other and smiled before taking Dawn up on her offer. They held each other as they danced as the remainder of the song played, and they even felt comfortable enough to share a soft kiss at the end. As they agreed to do so, after the dance, Patsy and Delia stood off to the side with Donna while Dawn disappear into the kitchen to get their drinks.

“How long have you two been married?” Don asked.

“Three years,” Delia smiled.

“How about you and Dawn?” Patsy asked.

“Five,” Don smiled. “Did you get married here in Nonnatus?”

“We did, actually,” Patsy said with a smile. “Phyllis officiated, too.”

“Aww, how sweet,” Don’s smile grew bigger.

“I see you three are getting acquainted…” Valerie said as she approached her friends.

“We were just about to have a drink, would you like one?” Delia asked.

“Lucille is already getting me one,” Valerie smiled.

“Congratulations again,” Patsy greeted their dear friend.

“Thank you so much for coming all this way. It really means a lot to me.”

“You were such a big part of our wedding, we would have endured anything to be able to come to yours!” Patsy promised.

Valerie smiled. “Well, I hope you two recover from food poisoning soon.”

Patsy and Delia laughed.

“So, any honeymoon plans?” Delia asked.

“Just work. Lucille and I won’t have another day off together for three whole weeks.”

“Harsh,” Don winced.

“That’s the life of a midwife,” Valerie admitted. She wouldn’t trade it in for the world.

“Just one day off?” Patsy asked with a small frown.

“Just one,” Valerie confirmed. “If nobody goes into labour early, we might be able to spend the day on the west end. I’m hoping we can watch a film, since we haven’t been in a long time.”

“How would you feel about coming to Brighton, when you two have a weekend off?” Patsy asked.

“Oh, we’d love to visit you two,” Valerie smiled.

“Actually...” Delia corrected, “Patsy and I would like to gift you our house for a weekend. It’s still a little too cold for the beach now, but when the weather gets warmer, you’re more than welcome to have our home for a couple of days.”

“Really?” Valerie raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Brighton is lovely. There’s lots to do, lots to see… you two can have your honeymoon there and Patsy and I will be at your service,” Delia proposed with a light laugh. “It will be Le Hotel Busby-Mount.”

“Are you sure?” Valerie asked with an excited gasp. 

“Yes! We have three extra bedrooms, you’re more than welcome to occupy as many as you please,” Patsy reassured.

“What do you think, my love?” Valerie asked her wife, who had just joined them. “Patsy and Delia are gifting us their beach house in Brighton for a weekend.” 

“Oh, wow!” Lucille smiled and took a deep breath, “I think that’s a very generous gift, thank you.”

“It’s settled then,” Valerie smiled. “We’ll make the trip to Brighton this summer!”

~ Summer of 1966 ~

Valerie stepped off the bus at the Brighton bus terminal and helped her wife step off behind her. The sea air met their noses and they gave each other a smile and a sigh of relief. Both of them were happy to have come to their destination after two hours on the old noisy bus.

“Valerie!” Delia called out from her car, “Lucille!”

Valerie and Lucille picked up their suitcases and trotted towards their friend.

Delia drove them home where Patsy had already prepared lunch on the balcony. When she said she and Patsy were at their service, she really meant it. Delia unloaded their suitcases when they arrived, and she even brought them upstairs despite all the protest from Valerie and Lucille.

“You’re our friend, Delia, not our chauffeur,” Valerie scolded.

“I know, but this is our gift to you two,” Delia reassured.

Valerie gave her friend an unimpressed look but then gasped when Delia opened the door to their room.

“So this is your room for the weekend…” Delia revealed.

“Oh...” Valerie was speechless. She could see the ocean from where she stood, and beyond the glass door was Patsy arranging lunch on a table on the balcony.

“This is beautiful,” Lucille said with widened eyes.

“You wake up to this every day?” Valerie asked Delia.

“Sometimes,” Delia admitted. “Sometimes I wake up to Patsy’s hair in my face,” she added with a laugh.

Valerie and Lucile laughed along.

“Are you two ready for lunch?” Patsy asked as she walked inside.

“There are only two seats,” Lucille pointed out.

“This is for you two. Delia and I are simply your servers.”

“But what will you two eat?” Valerie questioned.

“Don’t worry about us, we’ve got a date of our own on the pier, once you two are settled,” Delia reassured.

“Thank you for all this…” Lucille felt as if she couldn’t thank Valerie’s friends enough.

“Oh, it’s our pleasure.” Patsy smiled. “Now, you two enjoy your little honeymoon while you can. There’s a map on the coffee table of nearby attractions and a spare key to the house so you can come and go as you please.”

“This is lovely,” Valerie nodded her head and smiled, “I can’t thank you two enough!”

“Well, stop thanking and start eating,” Patsy laughed. “The lobster’s getting cold!”

Valerie and Lucille sat down for lunch with excitement. Patsy had prepared various seafood and fruits, and they didn’t have to be told twice to eat. The journey to Brighton had made them hungry, after all.

Once Valerie and Lucille were settled and eating lunch, Patsy and Delia gave them some privacy and ran off to the pier to have a date of their own.

“I cannot believe how nice your friends are,” Lucille said, now sitting back in her chair with a hand on her full belly.

“They’re your friends now too—and they’re worth their weight in gold, that much I know.”

“They have turned their home into a hotel, for us.”

“It appears they did.”

“I can’t wrap my head around it.”

“I know, it almost feels like a dream,” Valerie admitted with a big smile. “I’m here, with the view of the ocean on my right, and the prettiest woman in the world sitting across the table from me.”

“You are a big flirt, Valerie Dyer-Anderson,” Lucille rolled her eyes and smiled.

“I can’t help it. Everything in front of me looks too good to eat,” Valerie grinned.

“Behave,” Lucille scolded lightly.

“Why? It’s just the two of us…” Valerie arched an eyebrow and brought a strawberry to her mouth before taking a rather seductive bite.

Lucille couldn’t help but laugh at her wife. They were never this vulgar, at home. Even when the nuns weren’t around, they were quiet and reserved.

“Can you imagine making love without worrying about the noise?” Valerie thought out loud.

“Patsy and Delia are still coming home tonight,” Lucille reminded.

“I meant right now...” Valerie smirked and took another strawberry into her mouth.

“Oh…” Lucille breathed out. They had only ever made love at the convent, she didn’t know what it would be like if they didn’t have to muffle every moan or restrict every movement to prevent the old beds from creaking.

“No nuns, no roommates…” Valerie added.

Lucille couldn’t help but imagine what her wife would sound like without inhibitions. She pictured Valerie beneath her, holding her close and moaning into her ear.

“But if you’re not in the mood, I understand,” Valerie reassured, though she could see from her wife’s gaze that lust had started to brew within her.

“No, I want to!” Lucille barked a little to eagerly—but she really wanted to.

Valerie smiled and extended her hand towards her wife. Lucille knowingly took it and she gently walked them towards the bedroom.

Lucille stood in front of her wife and watched her carefully unbutton the front of her blouse. She grasped Valerie’s buttons and began undoing them at a faster rate.

“Take your time,” Valerie said with a small smile. “I don’t want to rush this.”

“As you wish,” Lucille smirked and slowed her pace.

Valerie eventually opened the front of her wife’s blouse and carefully pushed it over her shoulders before giving the exposed skin a soft kiss.

Lucille watched her wife kiss her and she mirrored Valerie’s actions, and her pace.

Still standing, Valerie then wrapped her arms around her wife and unzipped the back of her skirt before letting the garment fall to the floor.

“I love you…” Valerie got down on her knees and planted soft kisses down Lucille’s thighs.

Lucille had to admit her wife’s pace was a lot slower than she was used to, but she felt the care and love that went into Valerie’s kisses.

“Would you sit on the bed, please?” Valerie asked, still on her knees.

Lucille smiled. “As you wish.”

000

Ice creams in hand, Patsy and Delia watched the waves from a bench on the pier.

“I wonder what they’ve decided to explore first,” Patsy thought out loud.

“I wonder if they’ve even left the bedroom yet,” Delia admitted.

“Delia!” Patsy gasped. She was raised in a time when talking about sex was taboo, and talking about one’s friends having sex seemed even more inappropriate—even if it might have been true.

“What?” Delia chuckled, “This is their first time away from the convent, since getting married. I don’t think exploring the boardwalk is their first priority.”

“Well, it might be…” Patsy countered.

“If you only got to eat ice cream on rare occasions, in secret, what would be the first thing you’d do the moment someone offered you a chance to eat as much ice cream as you could?”

Patsy paused in thought—then frowned in agreement before returning to her ice cream.

Delia laughed at her wife.

000

“SWEET JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH...” 

Valerie glanced up at her wife and smiled, in her mind. Lucille had her eyes shut, her head tilted back, and her hands holding onto the edge of the mattress so tight that her knuckles turned white. Valerie was surprised her wife was able to stay upright.

“OH… OH, LORD… OH, GOD...”

Valerie smirked to herself and continued to quickly rub her wife’s sex with the flat of her tongue.

“AH!” Lucille yelped and whimpered. She could feel her heart pounding, her breath escalating, but most of all, she could feel nothing but pleasure radiating from where Valerie was touching her.

Valerie felt hot arousal against her chin and she quickened her pace, alternating between up-and-downs and side-to-side. She felt the ache in her jaw but she ignored it and found encouragement in her wife yelling every name in The Bible.

“OH, MY LORD, VALERIE…”

Valerie couldn’t help but laugh at being called a Lord.

Suddenly, Lucille went quiet and Valerie felt her wife’s thighs close in around her head. After all the cursing and hollering Lucille had done, she still came with her mouth open in a silent cry. It made Valerie laugh, internally—not that she would laugh at her lover’s orgasm. No, she laughed at the irony of it all. The sight of Lucille coming undone made Valerie’s heart flutter and her body feel excitement.

“Oy…” Lucille sighed in relief and opened her eyes to look down at her lover.

Valerie gulped and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm.

“I can’t believe how… that felt really good...” Lucille struggled to find the words to describe what her body had just felt.

“I’m glad,” Valerie smiled.

“You have never… done me like that before...” Lucille said, still a little short of breath.

“No, if I did that at home, the nuns would come running in thinking we were performing an exorcism,” Valerie said with a laugh.

“You mean you have always known how to do that? And you are only showing me now?”

“Maybe,” Valerie grinned mischievously.

“Change in plans,” Lucille huffed. “We’re not leaving this bedroom this weekend.”

Valerie laughed.

“Now come here, you…” Lucille brought her wife up from her knees and then pulled her back into bed to lay on top of her.

“Hmm, this is nice,” Valerie smiled, feeling her wife beneath her naked body.

“You know what else is nice?” Lucille flipped their position before her wife could reply.

“Oh...” Valerie laughed and then moaned when her wife began kissing her way down her body. It was her turn to yell The Holy Trinity.

000

Patsy and Delia gave their guests as much privacy as possible. After their date on the pier, they walked along the sand before settling on the secluded portion of beach in front of their property.

“Do you think we would survive on a deserted island?” Delia asked. It was low tide so the water was further out, and she and Patsy sat on the soft sand where the water usually met the shore.

“I’d like to think I have enough skills to survive… otherwise I’ve taught those cubs in Poplar useless information.”

Delia laughed. “I almost forgot how cute you looked in that uniform.”

“I did not look  _ cute.  _ I looked in-charge and respectable,” Patsy stuck her nose up, playfully.

Patsy and Delia laughed and amused themselves until they heard voices in the distance.

“It’s this one, Valerie, I’m almost certain it’s house number five. I remember because there’s four of us, plus one, is five.”

“That is a strange way to remember,” Valerie laughed.

Patsy and Delia looked towards the commotion and saw Valerie and Lucille, walking on the pathway, appearing a little lost.

“Hey you two!” Delia called out.

“Oh, Delia!” Lucille sighed in relief. “What are you two doing all the way out there?”

“Just hanging out,” Delia smiled.

“Mind if we join?” Valerie asked.

“Of course not!” Patsy assured.

Valerie and Lucille walked towards their friends and took a seat on the soft sand.

“What did you two get to explore today?” Patsy asked.

“Well, we saw the Royal Pavilion, and then we stopped by the pier...” Valerie answered.

“Just those two?” Delia asked, shooting her wife a knowing smirk.

“We spent a lot of time at the Pavillion,” Lucille excused. “Valerie took her time admiring the architecture.”

“That’s right, I did,” Valerie confirmed.

“Have you two had supper?” Patsy ignored the smirk her wife was giving her.

“Yes, we already ate,” Valerie nodded.

“I’m sure you did,” Delia said so quietly only Patsy heard.

Patsy shot her wife an unimpressed yet almost-laughing look.

“What about you two?” Lucille asked.

“We just ate some shrimp pasta from the boardwalk,” Patsy admitted. “Although I am feeling peckish, now that I think about it…”

“Oh, Pats, we’ve got marshmallows!” Delia suddenly remembered. “Why don’t we have a bonfire?”

“Could we please?” Lucille gasped. “I love bonfires. We had many beach bonfires, back home in Jamaica.”

“I’ll go get the firewood!” Patsy offered.

“I’ll get the marshmallows!” Delia announced.

“What can we get?” Lucille asked.

“Nothing, you’re are honoured guests,” Patsy reminded. “You get to stay here and enjoy the sunset.”

000

The sun had set by the time the women had the fire going, but the sky was still shades of orange and purple. The temperature was slowly dropping and Patsy and Delia shared the warmth of one flannel blanket while Valerie and Lucille shared another. The firewood snapped and cracked continuously while the ocean waves hummed in the distance.

“Does anyone have any campfire stories?” Patsy asked before taking a warm and gooey roasted marshmallow into her mouth.

“You’re the cub leader...” Delia teased, “don’t you have some on hand?”

“That was so long ago, Delia, I don’t quite remember any.”

“What about a song?” Valerie proposed. “Lucille is an amazing singer.”

“Really?” Patsy and Delia lit up with smiles.

“Would you sing us  _ our _ song?” Valerie pleaded, “Please?”

“Only if you sing with me,” Lucille told her wife.

“I did vow to always be your duet partner...” Valerie reminded with a smile.

Lucille cleared her throat and began snapping her fingers. “I need love, love, to ease my mind. I need to find time, someone to call mine. My mama said…”

“You can’t hurry love,” Valerie sang.

“No, you’ll just have to wait,” Lucille continued.

“She said, ‘love don’t come easy, it’s a game of give and take’.”

“You can’t hurry love,” Lucille smiled as she sang with her wife.

“No, you’ll just have to wait!” Valerie belted out.

“You gotta just give it time, no matter how long it takes…”

Patsy and Delia smiled as they listened to their friends sing. The beach was dark now but the fire illuminated their faces and their voices waved back at the ocean.

000

Later that night, as Valerie and Lucille got dressed for bed, music began to play from Patsy’s and Delia’s room. This caused Valerie to laugh really hard.

“What’s so funny?” Lucille asked.

“Don’t you hear that?” Valerie asked.

“Yes, it’s just music…”

“No, Lucille, when Patsy and Delia lived at Nonnatus, Trixie would play music at night to drown out the noises coming from their bedroom.”

Lucile gasped. “Were they that loud?”

“No,” Valerie laughed.“Trixie just did it to get a rise out of them. Although, we did hear the bed creak once or twice.”

“Scandalous,” Lucile chuckled.

“They’re doing the same for us… they think we’re going to have sex now.”

“Are we going to have sex now?” Lucille laughed.

“I don’t think I want to, with them next door,” Valerie admitted.

“Okay,” Lucille smirked. “But I’m going to wear this to bed, in case you change your mind later…”

Valerie dropped her jaw when she saw her wife in a white lace camisole.

000

In the master bedroom, Patsy and Delia lay in bed looking up at the ceiling and listening to the music. Patsy was singing along and Delia laughed every time Patsy didn’t know the lyrics and would improvise.

“Deels, what if they aren’t having sex and we’re keeping them awake with this music?” Patsy asked.

“Trust me, they’re having sex.”

“You think everyone is having sex.”

“Because  _ they are _ .”

“But Delia, what if they just want to sleep?” Patsy insisted.

Delia pursed her lips to the side and paused thought. “Fine…” she stood up, lifted the needle off the record player, and they were immediately greeted by the sound of Valerie and Lucille moaning. Delia quickly played the record again and ran back to their bed. 

They both began to laugh quietly.

“Does that answer your question?” Delia asked her wife.

“Yes. They’re not sleeping,” Patsy confirmed. “Turn the music up!” 

000

At breakfast the next morning, the four women had croissants and mimosas on a blanket on the beach. Lucille insisted that they have breakfast together, and Patsy and Delia complied. It was high tide and the waves rippled all the way up to where their bonfire was last night.

“I can’t believe you get to live like this every day,” Valerie said in awe.

“We don’t always have time for breakfast,” Patsy admitted.

“But when you do… this is… absolutely beautiful. I wish my father left me a beach house,” Valerie said with a smirk.

“You two are welcome here whenever you want,” Patsy offered.

“Don’t say that,” Lucille laughed. “She’ll be here every opportunity she can.”

“Can you blame me?” Valerie countered.

“No, I cannot,” Lucille smiled.

“So what are you two up to today?” Delia asked.

“Exploring the boardwalk,” Valerie replied. “What about you two?”

“We’ll be volunteering at the church bazaar, so you’ll have the place to yourselves again.”

“That’s good to know, right, love?” Valerie asked her wife.

Lucile widened her eyes and coughed up some of her mimosa.

“We’ll be back before we have to take you to the bus terminal,” Delia promised.

“Don’t remind me,” Valerie frowned. “I love Nonnatus, but going back to the convent after a vacation like this is rather unfavourable.”

“We won’t live there forever,” Lucille promised her wife. “Just you wait, we’ll have enough for a place of our own soon.”

“I know,” Valerie gave her wife a small smile.

“If it’s money you need, we can help...” Patsy offered.

“That’s very generous of you, Patsy, but this is something we have to do for ourselves,” Lucille declined kindly. “I want to grow old beside my wife and sit in the parlor of our house, and remember how hard we had to work to buy our home.”

“I respect that,” Patsy replied.

“In the meantime, we thank you for your hospitality—and if you don’t mind—I’d like to excuse us so my wife and I can enjoy our last few hours of privacy.”

Valerie dropped her jaw in shock and pride.

Delia laughed and watched Lucille take Valerie back up to their bedroom.

“Did Lucille just suggested they were going to-” Patsy gasped. 

“Yup,” Delia laughed, though she knew exactly what her friends had been up to the whole time. 

“Well, it is their honeymoon...” Patsy laughed along.

“Wanna go back to the pier for some ice cream?” Delia asked.

“It’s barely noon, Deels...”

“So?” Delia shrugged her shoulders, “They can’t be the only ones eating ice cream.”

Patsy laughed and took her wife’s hand. “Alright, let's get some ice cream.”

Valerie and Lucille were on the bus back to Poplar that evening, but neither of them could have asked for a more satisfying honeymoon. It saddened them that they had to go back to the convent, and back to sharing a home with midwives and nuns, but they would only have to bear it for another year. A year later, they were able to purchase their own home on the upper-east side of town, a street south of Don and Dawn. They finally had their own space, and privacy, and every night was like the night they spent in Brighton during the summer of 1966.


	2. MidWIVES

~ Brighton, 1967 ~

In the quiet seaside home, the sound of firewood cracking in the fireplace filled the silence.

“Happy Birthday to you… happy birthday to you...”

Delia smiled as her wife emerged from the kitchen with a chocolate cake in her hands.

“Happy birthday, dear Delia… happy birthday to you...” Patsy sat on the floor and joined her wife on the rug in front of the fireplace, where they had just eaten their picnic-style supper.

Delia took a moment to admire the beautiful chocolate cake in front of her. The icing job suggested Patsy had made it, and that added value to its presence.

“Well, go on...” Patsy chuckled, “make a wish before the clock strikes midnight and it won’t be your birthday anymore.”

Delia did as she was told and closed her eyes before blowing out the single candle on her birthday cake.

“Happy birthday, my love…”

Delia opened her eyes in time to see Patsy place a small black box on her lap. 

“Pats...” she gasped.

“Open it,” Patsy encouraged.

Delia untied the ribbon and carefully opened the lid. She narrowed her eyes and inspected the engraved pendant. “Garbo?” she read aloud and smiled. She had told Patsy, just once, that if they got a dog she would name it Garbo. That conversation occurred so long ago she didn’t think Patsy would have remembered.

Patsy smirked and whistled as loud as she could. “Here, Garbo!”

Delia widened her eyes and gasped when she saw the little beagle run out of the kitchen.

“Patience Busby-Mount…” Delia lifted the puppy into her arms and cradled it, “where did you leave this poor creature while we were eating supper?”

“He’s been occupying himself in the study all evening.”

“And not a single bark from this little guy?” Delia said in awe.

“He was the calmest of the litter.”

Delia gave the dog a kiss on the head and gently squeezed him in her arms. Garbo must have only been a few weeks old, but he wasn’t as rowdy as most of the puppies Delia had met. Garbo was gentle and he instantly filled Delia’s heart with joy.

“Oh, thank you, Pats!”

Patsy smiled as her wife played with their pup.

Garbo then hopped out of Delia’s arms and began to pounce towards the chocolate cake. 

“Christ!” Delia immediately noticed his intentions and lifted him from the confection. “Oh, that was close!” she laughed, but was relieved Garbo hadn’t ingested any chocolate.

“I should have planned this better…” Patsy laughed and placed the cake on the side table, out of Garbo’s reach.

“No, it’s perfect. He’s perfect. This was all perfect.” Delia smiled and took Garbo into her arms again, much like a mother would cradle her newborn child. “This is my best birthday yet.”

“Really? Even though it rained all day, we both got called into work, and we came home to have supper in our uniforms?”

“Yes,” Delia smiled.

Patsy smiled and placed her hand on her wife’s thigh.

Delia continued to cradle Garbo in her arms like an infant.

“I’m glad you like him,” Patsy smiled.

“What’s not to like?” Delia asked, her attention still undivided on Garbo. “He’s perfect!”

“He is,” Patsy agreed. “I hope he makes the house feel a little less  _ empty _ .”

Delia glanced at her wife and gave her a sad look. A few weeks ago she came home from work and commented on how empty the house felt. But she didn’t think anything of it, and she certainly didn’t think it hurt Patsy so much until she saw the expression on her face, illuminated by the roaring fire. 

“I meant the house is always so quiet, Pats. I didn’t mean it felt empty because it’s just the two of us. We have a good time with just the two of us. I’ve been very happy with just the two of us.”

“I know that, Deels, but… I know what you really meant.”

“I meant the house gets...  _ quiet _ . That’s all.”

“You know I’d give you a baby, if I could...”

“I know,” Delia sighed. “I know you would, if you could. Christ, if there’s anything missing in my life, it’s not because you’ve fallen short, Patsy. You’ve given me so much, there isn’t anything more you can possibly do!”

“I could steal a baby...” Patsy said, half-jokingly.

Delia gave her wife an unimpressed look. Even as a joke, she would never do such a horrible thing to a mother.

“I’m happy as I’m allowed to be,” Delia promised.

Patsy gave her wife a sad smile. She knew what Delia meant, to be as happy as circumstances would allow them. The world was unfair, especially to women of their kind, but they’ve been very lucky to have a life together. Even if it was in the shelter of her father’s wealth.

“It’s just baby fever...” Delia added, trying to brush off the topic, “it happens every month.”

“Tell me about it,” Patsy couldn’t help but laugh. Her baby fever was becoming more and more severe, especially as her biological clock ticked further clockwise.

“Do you know what would make me a little happier, though?” Delia changed the topic before her wife, and herself, could mope on about the things they could never have.

“What?” Patsy asked.

Delia put Garbo down and smirked as she pressed a kiss on Patsy’s lips. She gently lay Patsy down on the carpet and they made love in front of the fireplace while Garbo played with the shoes by the door. Suddenly, the living room wasn’t quiet at all. 

~ One Week Later ~

Ellen and Joan were lesbian plumbers that Patsy had hired, coincidentally, when they first moved to Brighton. The pipes of number 5 Oceanview Street were old and rotten after not being used in nearly three decades, and all the sinks and toilets desperately needed to be replaced. The last time the house had life in it was the last time Patsy and her family stayed at the property during the summer of 1938, before the war. Joan and Ellen replaced all that needed replacing and, in the four weeks it took to do the work, became close friends with Patsy and Delia. Married in their hearts, much like the Busby-Mounts, Ellen and Joan shared a nearby house, which was a frequent gathering spot for a group of friends of Dorothy’s. The couple loved to entertain and their lives consisted of working hard and partying harder.

It was a Saturday evening when Patsy and Delia were at yet another one of Ellen and Joan’s parties, drinking cocktails and having a laugh. They hadn’t come to a party in a couple of weeks so it was nice catching-up with their friends. And both women were baffled, yet not surprised, by how much gossip and stories had accumulated within their circle of friends in so little time.

Joan played music on their record player, and after a few drinks, people began to dance while others continued conversations. The house was lively and Delia enjoyed getting away from their quiet, empty, home for a bit.

“I think I should make more sandwiches,” Ellen announced and excused herself when she realised their table was beginning to run low on food. Dancing tipsy people seemed to inhale her sandwiches much quicker.

“I’ll come help!” Patsy offered and followed after her friend.

“I’m quite alright, Patsy, it doesn’t take much to make sandwiches.”

“I know, but I need to talk to you,” Patsy admitted as they walked into the kitchen and out of earshot from the rest of the party.

“Well…” Ellen arched her left eyebrow towards her best friend, Steve, who was currently peering into the fridge looking for something to snack on, Ellen was sure.

“Steve can stay,” Patsy couldn’t help but laugh at the hungry man.

“Only if it’s hot gossip,” Steve perked up and glanced between the two women.

“I’m afraid not,” Patsy admitted.

“Well then, you can count me out!” Steve laughed and popped a couple of grapes into his mouth before heading towards the doorway.

“So I’m afraid I don’t satisfy Delia anymore...” Patsy admitted to Ellen.

“I’ve changed my mind!” Steve did a quick u-turn when he heard the juicy story that was brewing.

“You’re the worst,” Ellen laughed at her best friend.

“My life is  _ so _ boring, Ellen. I’m willing to indulge in some lesbian bedroom problems if it means I get to sit in on some drama.”

“Bedroom problems? Oof, nothing like that!” Patsy huffed, offended. “We are  _ very _ satisfied in that department, thank you very much.”

“Oh,” Steve scrunched his nose in disappointment.

“Delia wants a baby,” Patsy elaborated. “We both do, but we all know that can never happen. She tells me she’s content but I know she wants more. I think one day she’s finally going to admit I’m not enough.”

“And what?” Steve challenged, “Leave you? That’s ridiculous, you’re married!”

“Not legally,” Patsy reminded. “There’s nothing legally stopping her from running off with a man and having children.”

“Delia would never...” Ellen reassured.

“But she could, if she decided I wasn’t enough,” Patsy countered.

“No, Patsy,” Ellen shook her head in firm disagreement. “I don’t think Delia is like that at all.”

Ellen felt empathetic towards Patsy, but her predicament made her grateful that she and Joan had no desire to have children. The two of them wanted to grow old together while spending their time getting rich and expanding their plumbing business. Having children, especially in their situation, seemed too complicated.

“I even got her a dog, but we know that’s not the same as a  _ baby _ ,” Patsy added.

“You could steal one…” Ellen suggested, half-jokingly.

“That’s what I said!” Patsy couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s like we have all our ducks in a row and all we need is the child. We’ve got so much space, and money, and love to give… all we need is the baby.”

“You don’t even need the baby, you just need the little swimmers to make the baby,” Ellen pointed out.

“Right,” Patsy huffed.

The room suddenly fell silent.

“I could give you some...” Steve finally said.

“What?” Patsy furrowed her brows.

“That’s all you need, right?” Steve shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll give you some swimmers.”

“Steve, that’s…” Patsy didn’t know what to say. Part of her thought it was unthinkable, but the other part thought it was brilliant.

“I could give you some, I mean, as long as I wouldn’t have to sleep with you-”

“Of course not,” Patsy shook her head. “There are ways of… propelling conception that don’t require intercourse.”

Steve sighed in relief. He loved Patsy and Delia as friends but his preference for men would have been a big challenge in conceiving a child the traditional way.

“Then have some of mine! Lord knows I have so much of it.”

Ellen scrunched her nose in disgust.

“I would have to speak to Delia first but… are you sure, Steve? Would you give us your child, just like that?”

“It wouldn’t be my child, it would be yours. I’m simply giving you the missing ingredient. It would be like asking me for a cup of sugar, if you wanted to bake a cake and didn’t have any.”

A small smile formed on Patsy’s lips.

“It’s just sugar,” Steve reassured. “Lord knows how much sugar I’ve wasted into socks and magazines!”

“Steve!” Ellen whined.

“Honesty is one of my best qualities, Ellen,” Steve said with a smirk. “Call your wife, Patsy. Ask her now.”

Patsy didn’t have to be told twice. She left the kitchen and came back, dragging Delia by the arm.

“I was just about to dance to my favourite song...” Delia groaned.

“I have something better than The Beach Boys,” Patsy reassured.

“Well, what is it?” Delia glanced between her wife, Steve, and Ellen.

“I want to give you a baby, Delia.”

“What?”

“Steve just offered to… make a  _ donation _ and I’m going to carry a baby for you.”

Delia was stunned.

“Say something...” Patsy urged when her wife got a little too quiet.

“Can you just do that?” Delia questioned, “Won’t there be legal hurdles and custody issues?”

“Not if Steve isn’t on the birth certificate,” Patsy answered. She thought her wife would be a little more agreeable, and eager to have a baby, but it seemed Delia had some hesitations.

“We can’t just bring a child into the world, Pats. What would the neighbours think of us? How will we explain your pregnancy? People already think it strange that we share a house, unwed, at our age.”

“Forget the neighbours,” Patsy snapped with a bitter taste in her mouth. The neighbours and the rest of the world who threatened her family be damned. It was their lives and they should be free to do as they wish.

“I can bear the gossip but I will not put our child through that kind of ridicule,” Delia countered.

“We’ll figure it out,” Patsy promised. “We’ll hide the pregnancy. We’ll… go away, for a bit, and come back with the babe and tell everyone the child belongs to a family member who has left them in our care. We’ll figure it out, Delia. We always do.”

“I don’t know...” Delia shook her head. Of course she wanted a child with Patsy, but she couldn’t bear the thought of their child being treated differently, or picked on, for not having a traditional family. That would break her heart more than not having a baby.

“I do,” Patsy took her wife’s hands into her own. “I know I want us to have children, some way somehow, and this may be our way to do it.”

“Okay,” Delia nodded her head and gave her wife a small smile. She trusted Patsy, and she believed her when she said they would figure it out. They always did, after all.

“Oh, Delia!” Patsy practically jumped for joy and wrapped her arms around her wife.

“Shall I get a specimen cup from the clinic?” Delia teased, looking at Steve.

“I’ve got a turkey baster...” Ellen offered, jokingly.

The kitchen erupted in laughter.

000

Patsy sat on their bed in nothing but her plaid robe and pink slippers. Waiting. The house  _ was _ quiet. She could hear Delia downstairs talking to Steve. She had only been down there a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Patsy suddenly felt nervous. She wasn’t sure why but she had butterflies in her stomach. She then heard her wife’s footsteps approach and their bedroom door opened.

Steve had gone home. Delia held the little specimen cup in one hand and a clean pipette in the other.

“Is that it?” Patsy winced and eyed the contents of the vessel.

“This is it,” Delia nodded.

“It’s rather awful to look at…”

“Shh, one of these swimmers may become our baby and they’ll hear you,” Delia scolded.

Patsy laughed. She needed a laugh, and she was glad Delia could always make her.

“Do you remember what Sister Monica Joan said about the male organ?” Delia chuckled before she could even finish asking.

“That the-”

“Results of the male organ are more rewarding than the organ itself,” Delia said at the same time as her wife.

“Classic Sister Monica Joan,” Patsy shook her head and laughed.

“Shall we? While it’s fresh?” Delia asked.

“Right.” Patsy repositioned herself on the bed, her head on the pillow, her knees bent, and her feet planted on the mattress.

“I don’t think we have to be so clinical about it,” Delia admitted.

“Huh?” Patsy furrowed her brows.

“I think we have room for a little romance...” Delia smiled and approached her wife. She placed the pipette and the specimen cup on the bedside table and sat on the mattress. She leaned in to kiss her wife and took her time touching her wife’s skin.

Patsy kissed her wife with a little more passion and eventually Delia crawled onto the bed and on top of her.

“Can I take this off?” Delia whispered.

“Only if you take yours off too,” Patsy smirked.

Delia smiled and helped her wife remove her robe before she took off her clothes. The room felt cold, initially, but their bodies soon warmed up to the occasion. The bed began to creak faster and faster, and soon Patsy was a moaning mess beneath her.

“Where are you going?” Patsy whimpered when she felt a loss in contact. The air felt cold without Delia’s skin on hers.

“We can’t forget…” Delia reached for the pipette and specimen cup.

“Oh, right,” Patsy laughed when she realised she really did forget. She parted her thighs and kept her eyes on Delia’s as Delia did what she needed to do. 

Delia gave her wife’s knee a kiss and squeezed the end of the pipette until all of its contents were emptied. When the deed was done, she returned the items to the bedside table and resumed pleasing her wife.

“Oh…” Patsy arched her back and moaned as Delia’s mouth pleased her sex. She felt nothing but love with each stroke and suck, and she held the hand Delia extended towards her as she came.

“Can you pass me a pillow, love?” Delia asked, wiping her chin with the back of her hand as she spoke.

“Huh?” Patsy gulped, her mind still fuzzy and stars still dancing behind her eyelids.

Delia laughed and retrieved a pillow herself. She instructed Patsy to lift her hips and placed the pillow under Patsy’s bottom to keep her pelvis tilted upwards.

“Oh…” Patsy laughed.

“I love you, you fool,” Delia smirked and snuggled her wife’s side.

“I love you too... wait, you didn’t get your turn,” Patsy whined.

“It’ll have to wait ‘till later,” Delia brushed off her wife’s words. She was more than happy to skip her turn and hold her wife in her arms at that moment.

Patsy furrowed her brows and extended her arm outwards so Delia could rest her head on her bicep. 

The house simmered into silence again.

“We should get a lawyer,” Patsy finally said.

“What for?”

“To protect our family from… well… anything that might threaten it, in the future.”

“Oh, right.”

“And a private tutor,” Patsy added. “Since we can afford it, I think it would be best if our child was homeschooled. I don’t want to deal with other parents asking too many questions, or other children teasing our child for not having a father.”

“I was thinking that too,” Delia admitted. “Children are brutal to other children who are different.”

“I’m glad we agree,” Patsy sighed in relief.

“So what do you think about the name Timothy, for a boy?” Delia asked.

“Timothy…” Patsy said the name a few times to see if it would grow on her.

“I was also thinking Emrick or Lewis...”

Patsy smiled and watched her wife list baby names with a sparkle of joy in her eyes.

000

Their first try didn’t work. Neither did their third or fourth or fifth. But they didn’t give up. The kitchen calendar was moved into the bedroom and they religiously tracked Patsy’s cycle as they kept trying to conceive their child.

One night, Delia came home exhausted after a long strenuous delivery. She toed off her work shoes by the door and dropped her work bag beside them. The foyer was dark but the light coming from the kitchen ensured Delia could see where she was going.

“Patsy?” she called out.

“In the kitchen!”

Delia leaned against the archway and watched her wife look up from a dinner plate. 

“Good morning, Deels,” Patsy smiled.

“You’re up quite early…” Delia glanced at her watch to confirm that it was only three in the morning.

“I woke up starved. How was work?” Patsy asked with her mouth full.

“Long but rewarding. The Dawson’s now have a beautiful baby girl.”

“Oh, how lovely,” Patsy smiled and took another bite of her sandwich.

“What are you eating?”

“A sandwich.”

“I can see that, Pats.” Delia couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s in it?”

“Oh… um... pickles and marmalade...”

“Yuck,” Delia scrunched her nose in disgust. She was so tired she didn’t think anything of Patsy’s odd behaviour.

“Don’t knock it until you try it,” Patsy took another bite. “I made you something too. It’s in the fridge.”

“It’s not the same as yours, is it?” Delia winced. She probably couldn’t stomach Patsy’s concoction.

“Of course not,” Patsy smirked.

Delia walked to the heavy machine and opened the door before coming eye-to-eye with the slice of vanilla cake on a little glass saucer. Wedged in the middle of the confection was a little orange rubber pacifier. Delia suddenly remembered how Patsy proposed to her by putting her engagement ring in her cake.

“Patience Busby-Mount…” Delia gasped.

Patsy stood from her seat and wiped the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin. “I was late… so I borrowed a kit from the clinic and… well… it finally worked.”

Delia stood, dumbfounded. She released the door handle and the heavy door slammed shut. The loud clunk broke her from her trance. 

“You and I are going to be mommies,” Patsy shared with glee.

“I almost can’t believe it,” Delia admitted, taking a shaky breath.

“Well, you’ve got nine months to believe it because our baby is coming, Delia.”

“Our baby…” Delia gasped and took a step closer to place her hand on her wife’s navel.

“Our baby,” Patsy smiled and placed a hand on top of Delia’s.

“I was beginning to think it would never work...”

“But it finally did. Our dreams are coming true, Deels. You and I are going to be mommies.” 

“I love you so much,” Delia said with tears beginning to pool in her eyes. What she thought was impossible, what she never could have imagined, was turning into reality. She was married and starting a family with the woman she loved.

“I love you too,” Patsy leaned in to give her wife a kiss.

Delia smiled against her wife’s lips. She didn’t care if Patsy smelled like pickles, they were having a baby.

Patsy pressed their foreheads together and held her wife in her arms for a moment. “You should get some rest,” she suggested when she remembered the time and where Delia had just come from. “You’ve had a long night.”

Delia gazed up at her wife with loving eyes. “I feel as if all the tiredness has left my body.”

Patsy smiled. “Would you come spend time with me in the bedroom then?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Delia laughed and held her wife’s hand as they made their way to the staircase. 

“We should enjoy all the alone time we can get before this little one turns our lives upside down.”

“I can’t wait,” Delia admitted with a smirk. “Although, I have to tell you to stop putting small objects in cakes when we have children, Pats. It’s a choking hazard.”

“I will,” Patsy promised and laughed when her wife kissed her again. They were going to be mommies and she couldn’t be happier.

000

Patsy’s first trimester was filled with the ups and downs of pregnancy. She experienced morning sickness, like most of her patients, but thanks to the advancements in medicine, she now knew not to consume Thalidomide. However, she continued to smoke and drink cocktails, as most pregnant women did at the time.

Once she took two tablets of a safer antiemetic, she became quite good at hiding her pregnancy. She proceeded to cycle around the district and work as a midwife, as she normally did. She was able to hide her pregnancy from everyone except, of course, Steve, Ellen, and Joan who instantly knew from the jolly glow that their friend radiated. Patsy was very happy. Sometimes she would catch herself daydreaming about their baby as she waited for her equipment to disinfect in the autoclave, and she would subconsciously place her hand on her flat abdomen—and quickly remove it before anyone caught her. And sometimes she would feel sick when she helped mothers deliver their babies. She was suddenly overly empathetic to mothers’ screams and cries, and their pain became a little too real for Patsy, causing her to fear her own pains of labour.

Delia, on the other hand, always worried about Patsy. She prayed every time Patsy would get on her bike, and every time she would run down a set of stairs after a home visit. She felt very protective of her pregnant wife, and always made sure she was fed and well-rested. She woke up early every morning to pack their lunches, and at night she would take Patsy’s work bag and give her a massage.

Patsy had to admit her wife’s pampering eased her worries.

“Did you put my uniform in the dryer?” Patsy asked one morning.

“I never put our uniforms in the dryer,” Delia promised. “Air dry only.”

“I can’t go to work like this…” Patsy showed her wife how the front buttons of her uniform would not stay buttoned.

Delia began to laugh. Patsy’s belly button was bursting out of her uniform.

“It’s not funny,” Patsy huffed but began to laugh because her wife was laughing.

Delia approached her wife and got down on her knees to give the exposed skin of Patsy’s belly a kiss. “Look how big you’ve gotten, little one...” she praised their child growing within.

Patsy’s features softened into a loving gaze.

“It looks like we need to leave town sooner than later,” Delia stated. “But for today, it looks like you’re calling in sick with food poisoning.”

000

Patsy and Delia, and Garbo, retreated to Scotland in their family car. The trunk was filled to capacity, though they had only packed the essentials. A midwifery equipment, the record player, some sewing materials to make baby clothes, and books. They brought a lot of books since they would have a lot of free time. Patsy had told the clinic that she needed to care for her ill sister in Singapore, and Delia said that she desperately needed to help her father with the family business in Pembrokeshire. Luckily, the clinic manager was more concerned about redistributing their patient load than checking the accuracy of their reasons to leave work.

~ Fife, Scotland ~

In the county of Fife was a small rural cottage that belonged to an old friend of Patsy’s mother. Patsy had written a letter asking if they could rent the cottage for six months, and the old farmer happily agreed. Him and his family could use the extra income and the rental agreement had mutual benefits. Patsy paid the man a generous rate per month, and the old man was too busy tending to his farm that he rarely paid the two women a visit. He got his money and the Busby-Mounts got their privacy. In fact, he was completely oblivious to the nature of their relationship, or the fact that Patsy was growing more and more pregnant with each passing month.

Time passed slower without work. They had so much time to sew, their baby had an abundance of clothes for every occasion. When they weren’t making baby clothes, Delia kept herself busy by tending to the cottage garden, and Patsy baked. A lot. She had brought some of her cookbooks and her daily routine consisted of driving to the market for ingredients in the morning, and feeding her wife her creations in the evening.

As the months passed, it wasn’t just Patsy that grew bigger.

“Is this what it feels like to be pregnant?” Delia, who was laying on the couch, asked as she stroked her big belly. Patsy had made a delicious beef wellington for supper and she couldn’t resist having a second serving. She slightly regretted it now that her belly was bloated.

Even Garbo was laying on the carpet belly-up and stuffed with probably the best meal of his life.

“Yes, but with swollen feet and feeling the need to pee every five minutes.” Patsy laughed. She was now seated on an old armchair knitting little yellow socks for their little one.

“I hope you don’t plan on having sex again tonight because I’d just lay there like a beetle on its back...” Delia laughed but her distended abdomen cramped up. “Ouch! It hurts to laugh!”

“You know, Delia, even without a television I get a good dose of drama,” Patsy teased.

“I’m not dramatic,” Delia playfully gasped and then pretended to faint.

Patsy burst out laughing, but paused when she felt a sharp pain in her gut.

“Pats…” Delia quickly sat up when she saw the serious look of pain on her wife’s face.

“Ow,” Patsy huffed. Luckily the pain was over just as quick as it had started.

“Are you okay?”

“I am now,” Patsy admitted. “Seems like another false contraction.”

“That’s the second one today,” Delia thought.

“It doesn’t bother me a whole lot,” Patsy promised.

“Well, we should have the kit ready to go, just in case our little one decides to come early.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Patsy agreed. “I’ll help you set it up… I just have to pee first.”

000

Three nights later, Delia woke to the sound of glass shattering. Her head immediately perked up and she saw the empty spot on the bed beside her.

“Pats?”

Patsy groaned in response.

Delia quickly got out of bed and followed the groaning to the bathroom where Patsy was hunched over the sink. She had knocked over the ceramic soap dish, which luckily woke Delia from her deep sleep.

“Oh, sweetheart…” Delia stepped into the bathroom and paused when she saw the puddle between Patsy’s feet. “OH, CHRIST! It’s time!”

Patsy managed to make it to their bedroom with Delia’s help, and Delia, now in midwife mode, set the rubber sheet on the mattress before helping her wife onto it.

“I’m sorry to wake you,” Patsy winced.

“I want to be awake for this,” Delia couldn’t help but laugh. She put on a pair of gloves and checked how far Patsy’s labour had progressed. “You’ve still got a ways to go, Pats. Want to try to get some sleep?”

“I don’t know if I can,” Patsy admitted.

“Try to rest. You’re going to need the energy once you start pushing.”

Patsy couldn’t argue. Delia’s orders were midwife’s orders, after all. 

“Hold me?” she asked softly.

“I can do that,” Delia smiled and joined her wife in bed. She held Patsy in her arms and slept light enough to rouse every time Patsy had a contraction.

By sunrise, sunlight was beginning to fill the bedroom and illuminate the two women. Patsy had chosen to position herself on her hands and knees, and she rested her head on Delia’s shoulder as she began to push.

Grunts and cries filled the room, but Patsy was surprisingly calm and collected. Even Delia was surprised at how focused her lover was.

“You’re doing really well, Pats,” Delia praised.

Patsy didn’t respond. Instead she focused on her breathing and listened to what her body needed. When she felt the need to push, she pushed, and when she felt the need to reposition, she repositioned. Eventually, she decided to stand and plant her elbows on the dresser.

Delia didn’t have to give her wife any instructions and spent most of the time giving her encouragement and praise. Patsy, a midwife herself, knew exactly what she was doing.

“She’s coming, Delia!” Patsy manage to say before she clenched her jaw and pushed as hard as she could. 

Delia positioned herself between her wife’s legs and caught their daughter in her arms. She checked her over, as she did all of the babies she’d delivered, and then wrapped her in a blanket she and Patsy knitted together.

“Oh,” Patsy sighed in relief when she heard the loud cry.

“She’s here, Pats, we have a daughter!” Delia finally shed a tear.

Patsy carefully sat on the rubber sheet on the bed and gasped when Delia placed their child in her arms. Their daughter cried out loud and it made Patsy cry with her.

“She’s beautiful, Delia…” 

“She is, Pats. Just like her mother.”

“There, there…” Patsy soothed. “You’re going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. Your mom and I are so happy to meet you.”

The child settled as her mother spoke to her.

“Can we call her Elisabeth?” Patsy asked Delia. “After my sister?”

“I think Elisabeth suits her quite well,” Delia wholeheartedly agreed with a smile.

Elisabeth was a small baby. At the time, doctors didn’t know the link between smoking and low birthweight, above other complications. Patsy had been in labour for thirteen hours, and Delia never left her side. Later in the afternoon, Delia cradled Elisabeth in the living room while Patsy caught up on much needed sleep in their bedroom. This gave Delia time to bond with their baby, and she told Elisabeth all about how she and Patsy met, fell in love, and experienced adversity before they finally got married and moved to Brighton. 

“... and that’s how you came to be, Elisabeth.” Delia smiled and kissed her daughter’s forehead.

000

Patsy went to the town hall two days later to register Elisabeth Delia Mount, born on September 2nd, 1968 to mother Patience Mount and no listed father. Patsy received a sour look from the office administrator, but she ignored it. Her daughter may be illegitimate in the eyes of the law, but only the old man typing-up the birth certificate needed to know that. When they left Scotland, they left behind the stigma as well. Once back in Brighton, Elisabeth would be known as Patsy’s niece. At least, that’s what the nosey neighbours would know her as.

“... and this is your nursery, and that’s your crib, and these are all the toys your mama has been collecting for you…” Patsy held Elisabeth in her arms as they finished the grand tour of their Brighton home.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d like dolls or cars, so I got you both,” Delia picked up the two toys to show baby Elisabeth, who had her eyes opened and gazing up at her mothers.

“Welcome home, my love...” Patsy lowered her head to kiss Elisabeth’s forehead. “Your mama and I have waited a long time to have you.”

“We’ve only ever dreamed of having an angel like you...” Delia wrapped her arms around Patsy and Elisabeth and held her family close. “You don’t know how happy we are to finally have you here.”

~ One Year and Three Months Later ~

Delia carried Elisabeth on her left hip while she carried a laundry basket on her right. It was a cold December day and Delia was doing some chores while she waited for her wife to come home from work.

“I’m home!” Patsy announced.

Delia gasped. “Who’s that?” she asked Elisabeth.

Elisabeth kicked her feet in excitement.

“Is that mommy?” Delia gasped again.

“Mommy!” Elisabeth squealed.

“Delia, what are you doing?” Patsy walked into their home and gave her wife an unimpressed look.

“What?” Delia furrowed her brows.

“You know you shouldn’t be carrying all this  _ in your condition, _ ” Patsy huffed and took the laundry basket, and Elisabeth, from her wife.

“I know how much I can carry, Pats,” Delia promised.

“She’s not an infant anymore, Delia. She’s a lot heavier now, and she kicks when she’s excited!” Patsy looked at their little girl and smiled. “Hi, baby girl, I’ve missed you!”

Elisabeth grabbed her birth mother by the ears and planted a kiss on her nose.

Delia huffed but laughed at her wife’s overprotectiveness. She was just as insufferable when Patsy was pregnant, and now it was her turn to get a dose of her own medicine. She was just entering her second trimester and was barely showing, but Patsy was right. One solid kick to the gut from little Elisabeth would surely be unpleasant for her and the baby.

000

As not to raise suspicion, Patsy and Delia decided not to go back to Scotland to have their second child. It would have been too much of a coincidence that the two of them disappeared for six months and returned with a baby, again. Thus, Delia decided to stay and have their baby in Brighton. It also would have been too much to ask the clinic to lose two nurses for half a year, again. So the plan was for Delia to take six months off work to care for her aged parents in Wales, while Patsy took on most of her patients.

Delia did pay her parents a visit in Pembrokeshire, but she didn’t stay for six months. Instead, she stayed for a week. As much as Patsy hated the idea of her pregnant wife travelling alone, Delia had to make the trip on her own, so her father wouldn’t question why she and Patsy spent so much time together. Delia was very good at hiding her pregnancy from her parents, but by the time she got home to Brighton, she was relieved to no longer have the pressure of hiding her symptoms.

“Did your mother not feed you?” Patsy asked in awe as she watched her wife eat.

Delia shovelled soup into her mouth and gulped before taking a bite of bread. “I didn’t want to eat too much, in case she questioned my sudden increase in appetite.”

“You deprived our child?” Patsy gasped.

“I ate enough,” Delia promised, “But I did miss the second serving you always make for me.” She smiled and gave her wife’s hand a squeeze before returning to her meal.

000

Three months later, as the weather warmed up, Delia entered her third trimester. Her belly about the size of a melon, she received a surprise visit from her parents.

“Mister and Missus Busby!” Patsy gasped when she answered their door. Garbo barked at the two strangers standing outside and Patsy told him to lay down on his bed.

“Has our daughter died?” Missus Busby asked, rather unimpressed by everything in front of her, including the dog.

“Be nice, Dafina, we have manners where we come from...” Mister Busby scolded his wife.

“She hasn’t written to us since she visited, did she make it back here alive?” Missus Busby continued to speak with a bitter tone in her mouth.

“I do apologise, we’ve been incredibly busy with the sudden surplus in pregnancies,” Patsy excused.

“Well, aren’t you going to invite us in? We’ve come all this way...” Missus Busby cocked her head to the side and gave her daughter’s housemate a look.

“Of course, come in…” Patsy gulped and hoped Delia had heard some of their conversation from upstairs. “Delia! Your parents are here!”

Delia had heard her mother’s voice and was already scrambling around her wardrobe in search for her largest jumper. It was late spring and it was a little too warm for a jumper so big, but it was the only piece of clothing that made her growing belly appear a little less pregnant.

“Coming!” she put the jumper over her head and quickly, but carefully, made her way downstairs.

“There you are, cariad...” Mister Busby smiled when he saw his beautiful baby girl walk down the stairs. “I told you, Dafina, she’s fine.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to respond to your letters,” Delia apologised and gave her father a warm embrace, being ever so careful not to press her abdomen against him.

“That’s okay, cariad, I know you’re very busy helping so many families,” Mister Busby gave his daughter a proud smile.

“You’re not at work now,” Missus Busby pointed out. “Surely you have a minute to say you’ve made it home in one piece.”

“Calm, Dafina, calm…” Mister Busby took hold of his wife’s hand and gave it a pat. “She’s here, she’s healthy, she’s a successful working woman. What more can we ask for?”

Delia gave her sceptical mother a smile.

“Is she healthy? She’s wearing a jumper in this weather. You’re not sick, are you?” Missus Busby asked.

“It was a bit windy by the ocean this morning,” Delia excused.

Dafina Busby made a sceptical face and then softened into a neutral expression.

“It’s good to see you, mum…” Delia approached her cold mother and gave her a light embrace.

“You’ve put on a bit of weight,” Missus Busby stepped back and squeezed her daughter’s shoulders.

Patsy widened her eyes and glanced at her wife, briefly, with a scared look.

“Like Patsy said, we’ve been so busy with work, we haven’t had the time to cook. I’m afraid we’ve been relying on haddock chips more often than we’re willing to admit.”

Patsy ever so quietly sighed in relief. She loved her wife’s brilliant mind and wit.

“How is it, living here?” Mister Busby asked and offered his daughter an elbow, “We have yet to see this house Patsy has been kind enough to let you live in for free. Do you mind giving us a tour?”

“Of course not,” Delia smiled and took her father’s elbow. “Right this way…”

It was only then that Patsy and Delia remembered little Elisabeth napping in her bedroom. They sure had a lot of explaining to do.

Delia showed her parents the grand living room, the spacious kitchen, and of course one of the four bedrooms that occupied the second storey. Two bedrooms faced the street and the other two, the master bedroom that in theory belonged to Patsy and the second bedroom that was supposed to be Delia’s, had access to the balcony with a view of the ocean. They lingered on the balcony for a moment.

“This is beautiful, cariad, I can see why you’d want to stay here for as long as you have,” Mister Busby praised. “But… you can’t live here with Patsy forever. There will come a time when you’ll find the right man and have a home of your own. Perhaps use some of the money you’re saving now to help your husband purchase a property...”

Patsy awkwardly stood in the midst of the conversation. Missus Busby also remained quiet, allowing her husband to wallow in ignorance she had indulged in years ago. Enough time had passed for her to silently mourn the fact that her daughter would never wed or have a family with a man. She didn’t dare speak of her daughter’s lack of interest in men, as it would break her husband’s heart.

“Not that we don’t appreciate all that you’ve provided for our daughter,” Mister Busby told Patsy. “You’ve been a very good friend to her, but you two won’t be bachelorettes forever.”

“What if I don’t find the right man, dad? What if this really is it for me?” Delia countered.

“It’s too soon to jump to that conclusion, cariad,” Mister Busby reassured. “There’s someone out there for everyone.”

Delia shifted uncomfortably and caught her mother’s eyes. Dafina shot her a look of plead which begged her not to further challenge her father’s opinions and allow him to believe that she will one day marry and live happily ever after with a man who could give her a family.

“Shall we see the rest of the house?” Patsy asked.

“I was hoping we would,” Mister Busby smiled.

“I do have to warn you, my little niece is having a nap in one of the bedrooms, which we’ll have to skip for now,” Patsy excused.

“You have a niece staying with you?” Mister Busby asked.

“Yes, my sister’s daughter, she’s in my care as my sister and her husband have fallen ill.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mister Busby placed a hand on his heart.

“That’s also why we’ve been so busy,” Delia excused. “When we’re not working, we’re taking care of Elisabeth.”

“How old is Elisabeth?” Mister Busby wondered. 

“Fifteen months,” Delia replied.

“Oh, poor girl, I hope her parents recover soon,” Mister Busby gave Patsy a look of sympathy.

Patsy gave him a sad smile and proceeded to show Delia’s parents the third bedroom before taking them downstairs for tea.

As they drank their tea, Elisabeth must have woken up and began to cry from her crib.

“Mama!” she cried.

“That’s my call, please excuse me…” Patsy stood from the table and left Delia with her parents to tend to their daughter.

“That poor girl misses her mother,” Mister Busby frowned. “What are her parents ill with?”

“Typhoid,” Delia answered.

Both Mister and Missus Busby gasped.

“That’s so nice of Patsy to care for her for the time being,” Missus Busby had to admit.

“You know Patsy, her heart only knows how to care for others,” Delia replied.

Mister and Missus Busby fell silent and Patsy’s approaching footsteps filled the room.

“Everyone, this is Elisabeth…” Patsy introduced the child on her hip. Elisabeth had just woken up and she still had sleepiness in her eyes and a subtle pink line across her cheek where she must have slept on a crease in her pillow. “Can you say hi, Elisabeth?”

Elisabeth remained silent.

“Maybe later then?” Patsy smiled and tucked a lock of Elisabeth’s blonde hair away from her face.

“Maaa…” Elisabeth open and closed her hands and reached for Delia.

“She calls every woman who cares for her ma,” Delia excused and stood to take her daughter into her arms. She carried her on her hip and strapped Elisabeth’s leg across her belly to hide it.

Elisabeth whimpered and rested her head on Delia’s chest.

Mister and Missus Busby softened from watching their daughter hold Elisabeth. Missus Busby was saddened by the idea that she would never have grandchildren of her own, and Mister Busby hoped his daughter would give them grandchildren sooner than later.

“Would you like some Ovaltine and biscuits, sweetheart?” Delia asked.

“Yes please…” Elisabeth nodded her head.

“Oh so polite,” Missus Busby praised.

Elisabeth remained on her mama’s hip as she made her Ovaltine.

“Mister and Missus Busby, would you prefer to stay in my bedroom during your stay?” Patsy offered. “It’s a lot bigger than the spare room we have at the moment, since Elisabeth is staying with us for the time being...”

“Oh, dear, we were going to ask you if you could recommend a nearby hotel,” Mister Busby countered.

“Don’t be ridiculous...” Patsy insisted, “there’s plenty of room here.”

“We had no idea how big your house was,” Mister Busby couldn’t help but chuckle. “But we really don’t mind staying at a hotel, we wouldn’t want to burden you with our stay. We’ve already come unannounced, after all...” he glanced at his wife with a raised eyebrow. Delia hadn’t replied to their letters in three months and the next thing he knew, he was being dragged onto the bus to Brighton.

“Your stay wouldn’t be a burden at all,” Patsy promised. “Please, I insist. Delia is like family to me, and that extends to both of you.”

“Well, alright then,” Missus Busby agreed. “But we’ll take the spare room, no need to rearrange the house for us.”

“Then, if everyone is agreeable,” Patsy glanced at everyone in the kitchen and smiled, “that’s settled.”

000

That evening, Patsy took Mister and Missus Busby out for dinner at a nearby restaurant, and she, Delia, and Elisabeth sat at their favourite spot on the secluded second storey. They shared stories of Brighton as they ate, and even Elisabeth got to spend time with her grandparents without knowing who they really were.

Later that night, Patsy and Delia slept in their separate rooms while Delia’s parents retreated to the small spare bedroom beside Elisabeth’s nursery.

Neither Patsy nor Delia could sleep with the distance between them. Tossing and turning, they longed to be in each other’s arms. Delia tried to rearrange her pillows behind her, but their cold presence were incomparable to the warmth of her lover’s body against hers. Besides that, she could not get comfortable with the swell of her abdomen preventing her from sleeping on her stomach. She tossed and turned so much she worked up an appetite and decided not to starve her child any longer. So she threw on a housecoat and retreated to the kitchen for some biscuits.

She was two biscuits into the tin when she heard her mother’s voice call her name.

“No wonder you’re gaining all this weight, cariad…” Dafina huffed.

Delia quickly covered her abdomen with the biscuit tin. “Mum… what are you doing down here?”

“I forgot to bring a glass of water up with me.”

“Right,” Delia gulped and watched her mother retrieve a glass from the cupboard.

“You know, I used to sneak into the kitchen when your father was asleep and eat a whole tin myself… when I was pregnant with you.” Dafina couldn’t help but smile at the distant memory.

Delia smiled and felt her heart break at the same time. She wished she could tell her mother she was pregnant, she wished it was something they could openly celebrate and be happy about instead of hiding and lying. She was so sick of hiding and lying all the time.

“I know you will never experience that…” Dafina sighed. “I understand that you and Patsy intend to live like this for…” she sighed again. “Just, please, cariad, your father is still full of hope for the kind of life he wants for you. Let him dream. Don’t challenge him when he expresses his desires for you.”

Delia lowered her head in shame.

Missus Busby approached her daughter and gave her a kiss on her forehead. “I know you’re happy here, cariad, and if it had to be with a woman… I’m glad it’s Patsy. She’s got a good heart.”

“She does,” Delia nodded. Her mother’s approval of Patsy made her feel like crying.

“But you mustn't give your father reason to believe you’re anything more than friends. You know how we were raised, he couldn’t take it if you defied God and hurt him like that.”

“I know,” Delia sighed.

“Good night, cariad…” Dafina took her glass of water and gave her daughter one last kiss before retreating back to her room.

“Mum…” Delia called out before her mother could walk up the stairs.

“Yes, cariad?”

Delia held the swell of her stomach and found the courage to say what she wanted to say. She wanted to tell her mother, who had just approved of Patsy, that she was carrying their child. She wanted to celebrate the life growing within her. She wanted her mother to jump for joy and invite her, Patsy, and their children to Wales to celebrate Christmas in Pembrokeshire. But she remembered her parent’s upbringing. An illegitimate child was enough to cast shame upon her family name, let alone a child with two mothers and a gay father.

“I love you,” Delia said softly. “Thank you for coming all this way to see me, and thank you for your approval of Patsy.”

“I didn’t say I approved,” Dafina corrected. “But it has been a good visit and I’m glad we got to see you. I wish you would write to us more often.”

“I will,” Delia promised and watched her mother walk up the stairs. She’s glad her mother clarified her stance on her relationship with Patsy, and she was glad she didn’t tell her mother about their children. When Dafina was out of earshot, Delia cried. She was happy and ever so grateful for the life she had with Patsy, but she had to let go of the idea of Christmas mornings in Wales that she dreamed of.

~ Three Months Later ~

Delia closed her eyes as another contraction surged through her body. They were strengthening in intensity and she didn’t know how much more she could bear.

“You’re doing well, sweetheart…” Patsy praised as she rubbed her wife’s back.

“How did you survive thirteen hours?” Delia sighed as her contraction came to an end. It had only been three hours and she was ready for all of it to be over.

“I’m not sure,” Patsy admitted. “Mind over matter, I suppose. I just kept thinking of you, and me, and our baby building sandcastles by the ocean.”

“Oh,” Delia groaned as another contraction began to build up in her abdomen, “You… me… Elisabeth… baby… sandcastles…” she clenched her jaw and pictured their happy little family building sandcastles on the sunny Brighton beach.

Two hours later, Patsy caught their son and gasped as he began to cry in her arms. Delia fell back against her pillow and sighed in relief as the little screams filled the room. It was nearly four in the morning, and she was grateful Ellen and Joan took Elisabeth for the night.

“We have a son, Delia…” Patsy cried.

“Peter…” Delia breathed out and took a sharp breath of air when her wife placed him on her chest. His voice rattled the walls but it was a sign of his strong lungs. 

“Really?” Patsy smiled through her tears.

“After your father,” Delia nodded.

Patsy removed her gloves and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Peter had a head full of dark brown hair, like Delia’s, while Elisabeth had a head of blonde hair, like Patsy’s, which were complete opposites to Steve, who shaved his head and had no hair at all. Patsy suddenly felt extra lucky to have children that looked like her and Delia.

“Hello, little Peter…” Delia consoled the crying infant and kissed his little ear. “You have two moms and a big sister who have waited a long time to meet you.”

000

Patsy registered Peter at town hall the next day. Peter Delwyn Mount, born March 4th, 1970 to mother Patience Mount and no listed father, just like Elisabeth. With Delia’s permission, Patsy listed him as her own so that he may carry her last name and tie him to her wealth, just like Elisabeth. Should anything happen to Patsy, Delia would not have rights to the Mount estate, but their children would. This was all thanks to the limited rights the law granted to illegitimate children after multiple cases across the UK, which argued that laws banning inheritance to illegitimate children were unconstitutional, gave these children some leeway. 

Peter was known in the neighborhood as Elisabeth’s sister and Patsy’s nephew. When the neighbours pestered for more information, Patsy told them that her sister had died of Typhoid and the two children will be living with them permanently. As hard as it was for Patsy to lie and exploit her sister’s death, this halted all questions and gave her family peace. In fact, they didn’t cook for weeks after word got out that Patsy’s sister had died. Neighbours began to stop by with sympathy meals—condolence casseroles, Delia called them—and the Busby-Mount fridge slowly filled with glass dinnerware.

~ Brighton, 1971 ~

The new decade brought new sounds and music into the Busby-Mount home. Jackson 5 records had made their way over from the United States and ‘ABC’ played in homes all across Brighton, especially the Busby-Mount residence where two particular children loved to dance like their mamas. Man had already landed on the moon, and it seemed like more and more things that once seemed impossible were becoming possible. Patsy and Delia, who once longed for a life together, now had two little children, a dog, and a house by the ocean. Their dreams were coming true, and they had nothing but love in their hearts.

It was a hot Sunday, Patsy and Delia had the day off work, and they spent the afternoon on the beach building sandcastles with their children. Later that afternoon, Patsy and Delia learned just how much noise their children could make. A two-person marching band, consisting of Elisabeth Delia Mount and Peter Delwyn Mount, was circling around and around the living room in a parade to celebrate, well, neither Patsy nor Delia knew exactly what they were celebrating. They were simply happy children with lots to celebrate. 

Four little feet marched, two loud voices sang God Save the Queen—well, Elisabeth sang, Peter just yelled—and despite all of the toys in the house, kitchen items were used as musical instruments. Elisabeth, the grand marshal, crashed two metal pot lids together while little Peter wobbled behind her striking a saucepan with a wooden spatula. Even Garbo joined in, jumping and barking as he followed behind Peter.

“How can they be so adorable yet so... infuriating?” Patsy rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. It probably didn’t help that she had spent all afternoon on the beach under the hot sun.

“Well…” Delia stood from her chair, picked up a spoon and frying pan her children had discarded on the carpet, and joined the parade.

“Delia!” Patsy cried, but laughed at the sight of her wife playing with their children.

“If you can’t beat them, join them!” Delia laughed and followed the line behind Garbo.

Patsy groaned, for a moment, and then picked up her own kitchenware to make some noise.

“The house isn’t so quiet now, is it?” she asked her wife.

Delia laughed. “No, it’s not… and I never want a quiet house again.”


	3. Why We March

~ Brighton, 1970 ~

The sound of wooden blocks being stacked on the carpet, the television static pulsating with each change of the channel, and the subtle suckling of a newborn infant—Patience Mount appreciated these sounds from their kitchen. She filled two cups with tea and a third cup with warm milk and Ovaltine before placing them on a silver tray. She remembered the tray from her childhood. Back in those days, her life of luxury consisted of servants who did all the housekeeping and served her tea. Now, she was more than happy to clean-up the mess and serve her family. She preferred the privacy, and doing things for her wife and children gave her a sense of purpose.

She carefully lifted the tray into her hands and walked it into the lively living room where Delia, Elisabeth, and little Peter were waiting for her. Delia, sitting on the sofa feeding Peter his supper, and Elisabeth on the floor playing with her toys. Garbo was also on the carpet, beside Elisabeth, having a snooze and unbothered by Elisabeth’s blocks toppling over and over again. Patsy had seen the site many times before, yet the magnitude of joy it brought her remained the same. She still couldn’t believe that she had the life she wanted. Of course, it wasn’t easy, but there she was with the woman she loved and two children of their own. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was that she could come home every day to her family and have the weight of the world, the tiredness from a long workday, lifted from her shoulders.

“Who wants a hot drink?” Patsy asked as she walked into the living room.

“Me!” Elisabeth jumped up to her feet.

Patsy smiled and placed the tray on the side table before taking a seat on the reading chair adjacent to her wife. As soon as she was seated, Elisabeth climbed onto her chair and sat on her lap.

“Oof!” Patsy huffed and then laughed when their daughter carelessly flopped onto her thighs and leaned back against her gut. Elisabeth was just over two years old and she seemed to get bigger and heavier every time she sat on her.

“Careful, Elisabeth…” Delia reminded their daughter. “What do we say when we’ve hurt people?”

“Sorry, mommy!” Elisabeth looked up at her birth mother.

“I forgive you,” Patsy reassured.

“Ouchie, mommy?”

“Only a little,” Patsy admitted.

“Kiss it better…” Elisabeth turned around to give her mother’s tummy a kiss.

“Thank you,” Patsy smiled. “It feels better now.”

“Welcome,” Elisabeth returned to resting her head on her mother’s body.

Patsy sat in silence for a moment, admiring her family surrounding her. Especially Delia and little Peter sitting beside her.

“Quit staring,” Delia barked with a smirk. She adjusted her shirt to cover her exposed breast, pretending to be offended by her wife’s stare.

“I was looking at his chubby little cheek,” Patsy reassured. “I just want to…” she reached over to give their son a gentle squeeze on the cheek.

“If you break his latch, Patience Mount, I _will_ bite you-”

“Maybe I want you to,” Patsy replied rather suggestively. 

“Behave,” Delia scolded, glancing at their oblivious two year old daughter.

Patsy smiled and extended her hand again to comb the soft little baby hairs on Peter’s head with her fingertips. His little head moved as he suckled and the little noises he made as he fed made Patsy’s cheeks hurt from smiling.

“Can we have tea now?” Delia asked, though she loved seeing the look upon Patsy’s face. She loved seeing her wife so happy, and she knew why she was happy. They shared the happiness in having a happy, healthy, family.

“Right,” Patsy withdrew her hand and handed her wife her cup of tea.

“Thanks, love,” Delia took her teacup and brought it to her mouth to give the hot liquid a blow before taking a sip.

“And for the little miss…” Patsy gave their daughter her teacup.

“Thanks, love,” Elisabeth copied her mother and blew her Ovaltine before taking a sip.

Patsy watched her two girls and smirked. She might have carried Elisabeth for nine months, but her mannerism was all Delia’s.

Delia noticed her daughter copying her and said, “After I drink this, I’m going to tidy all of my toys.”

“After I drink this, I’m going to tidy all of my toys,” Elisabeth mimicked.

This time Patsy couldn’t help but laugh.

“Why are you laughing, mommy?” Elisabeth asked.

“I’m laughing because you and mum make me happy,” Patsy promised.

Elisabeth forced a laugh, “You make me happy too!”

Delia smiled and watched little Elisabeth, a carbon copy of Patsy, sitting on Patsy’s lap as the two of them went back and forth laughing.

“Peter, laugh too!” Elisabeth told her brother.

“He doesn’t know how to laugh yet, sweetheart,” Delia glanced at the baby at her breast and smiled. “But he will, someday soon.”

“I’ll teach him how to laugh!” Elisabeth offered. “It’s easy, Peter! Just… HA! HA! HA!”

“You’re a good big sister, Elisabeth.” Patsy gave her little girl’s hair a little pat. “You can teach Peter lots of things, right?”

“M-hmm,” Elisabeth eagerly nodded. “I can teach him how to drink Ovaltine…” she took a sip of her warm milk. “I can teach him how to change the channel…” she pressed the button on the clicker beside her and the program flipped from a talk show to the news. Elisabeth pressed the button again, but this time her mother spoke out.

“Oh-wait, sweetheart, go back please!” Delia tried to say calmly.

“Okay,” Elisabeth went back a channel.

The news segment that caught Patsy and Delia’s eyes played before them, while Elisabeth remained unaware of the magnitude of the situation.

“Turn it up, please,” Patsy ordered.

Delia turned up the volume and the three women listened to the broadcaster report about the formation of the Gay Liberation Front, GLF for short, at the London School of economics after debates about unfair treatment of gay and lesbian people. On their television, a crowd of people held-up a signs and rallied in front of the school.

“This formation was influenced by the Stonewall Rebellion, which started in Greenwich Village, in New York, in June of ‘69,” the reporter reported. “Men and women who call themselves gays and lesbians, suggest they deserve the same treatment as their heterosexual counterparts. Just last year, the Campaign for Homosexual Equality was formed, though no formal action has been propelled by the group. Which leads us to ask, are these so called ‘activist groups’ a threat to the sanctity of marriage? If the government succumbs to their demands, will we lose our values as an ethical society?”

Patsy and Delia sat frozen in their seats, their eyes glued to the television.

“Homosexuality is a problem and these people are advocating that we don’t solve the problem, they’re advocating that we tolerate the problem. I think these people are fit subjects for a mental health program!” a man being interviewed said on camera.

“Mental health program,” Patsy repeated with disgust. “He should be in a mental health program for thinking that checkered shirt goes well with that striped tie!”

Delia turned her head towards her wife with a look of surprise.

“I’m only speaking the truth,” Patsy said, anger brewing within her.

“The Sexual Offences Bill of 1967 decriminalised homosexual acts between two men, what more can the homosexuals want?” another interviewed candidate said.

“They really think our lives are better, just because they don’t throw us in prisons for making love anymore,” Patsy huffed.

“I understand you’re upset, Patsy, but please… your blood pressure.”

“How are you so calm while you watch this?” Patsy asked.

“I’m just as angry as you are, hearing them say those awful things. I just don’t think yelling at the television will do anything to help, at the moment.” Delia answered calmly. “Also, Peter just fell asleep so I would appreciate it if we stop yelling.” 

Patsy took a deep breath to calm herself. She glanced over and saw that Peter was in fact snoozing in Delia’s arms.

“The homosexuals are the pests of society,” yet another interviewee had a chance to speak. This time it was a woman. “They don’t contribute children to the population and do nothing but live a life of promiscuity.”

“Yet here we are, living a life of monogamy while raising our two children. Don’t contribute to society,” Patsy scoffed. “We deliver their babies, we contribute a lot!”

“That’s it…” Delia flipped the channel and luckily landed on a cartoon.

“Yay!’ Elisabeth hopped off her mother’s lap and ran to sit on the carpet, so she could be closer to the television. She wasn’t sure what had just happened, but the news was boring and she was relieved to finally have something fun to watch.

“Delia,” Patsy gasped.

“Getting upset does no one any good,” Delia scolded her wife.

Patsy furrowed her brows. She was still visibly angered by what she had seen on the television.

“Here…” Delia stood up and handed Peter off to her wife.

“What-” Patsy carefully took Peter.

“You need to calm down, and you can’t yell if you have a sleeping baby in your arms.”

Patsy huffed and simmered as she watched baby Peter. His little features were identical to Delia’s, and she admired his handsome little face.

“Better?” Delia asked.

“Better,” Patsy said softly.

Delia sat by Patsy’s feet and rested her chin on her wife’s thigh.

“I think we should join one of those activist groups,” she said softly.

“What?” Patsy furrowed her brows.

“Well, it’s better than sitting here yelling at the television, Patsy. If we want to see change, we’ll have to help make the changes.”

“Delia, we can’t be seen at those rallies, we could lose our jobs!” 

“Well, I feel useless, Patsy…” Delia breathed out. “They’re out there, fighting for our people, while I’m here… sitting like a duck.”

“We have children to take care of,” Patsy reminded.

“ _Legally_ … they’re your children,” Delia countered. “It’s your name on the birth certificates. The law doesn’t recognise me as their mother, even if I carried Peter for nine months.”

“Delia…” Patsy gave her wife a sad look.

“I know we’re a family, in our hearts, but there’s a world outside of this house where I don’t have parental rights over my own children. If we couldn’t afford such an expensive lawyer to make us your beneficiaries, the law would leave your two illegitimate children and housemate for dead, should anything happen to you.”

Patsy remained silent.

“Pats, this could be the start of something big. It took so much work to decriminilize homosexual acts, I’m sure we can keep fighting for more. Fight for the right to work as a homosexual, the right to love openly, the right to… to recognise our partnership so that, legally, I’m more than just your housemate.”

Patsy sighed. “I’m sure this is big, but I cannot risk my family and livelihood like that, Delia. I’m sorry, I’m putting my foot down.”

Delia sighed in defeat. Her wife had a point. Patsy had a generous inheritance, but it wouldn’t be enough to support their growing family for the rest of their lives. They needed to work, and losing their vocation in midwifery would be nothing but tragic.

000

Later that night, Patsy laid in bed while it was Delia’s turn to put the children to sleep. She heard Delia set Peter down in the crib of his nursery, and then tuck Elisabeth and Garbo in for the night. When Delia returned, she looked at her wife from the doorway.

“What?” Patsy said.

“I’m not going to bed with a big angry bear,” Delia informed.

“I’m not angry anymore,” Patsy huffed.

“The crease between your brows says otherwise.”

“Fine, I’m still angry.” Patsy sighed.

Delia approached her wife and sat on the mattress. “Why are you still angry?”

“Because...” Patsy huffed, offended. “I can’t believe all the horrible things they said on television.”

“But we’ve known how people think of us, it’s hardly news,” Delia reminded. “My own mother thinks it’s a disgrace that I will never marry a man. My parents will never know their grandchildren.”

“Doesn’t that make you angry?”

“Of course, sweetheart. But I can sit here and feel angry until the cows come home… or I can accept that some people are rotten and try to focus my energy on the things that make me happy.”

“If only it were that easy…” Patsy breathed out.

“Well, think of the things that make you happy,” Delia instructed. “Right now, I can list three things that make me happy: Peter, Elisabeth, and Patsy.”

Patsy lowered her head and gave her wife a flat look. 

“They make me very happy, even if sometimes they all have a fit.”

“I’m not having a fit,” Patsy defended.

“Sometimes Peter cries because he wants my breast, sometimes Elisabeth cries because she wants cake for supper, and sometimes Patsy cries because the world is a cruel place and she’s feeling a little defeated.”

“Okay, that part is true,” Patsy admitted.

“I listed my three things, now it’s your turn,” Delia encouraged.

Patsy took a deep breath and glanced around the room. “Wife…” she lifted her index finger, “children…’ she lifted her middle finger, “cakes…” she lifted her ring finger.

“Those things also make me happy,” Delia smiled.

Patsy forced a smile and then turned her body to lay on her side. “Come be my little spoon…” she told her wife.

“That makes me happy too,” Delia lifted the covers and crawled into her wife’s arms. She turned off the lamp on the bedside table and they laid in the dark.

“Are you sleeping?” Delia asked.

“Not yet,” Patsy admitted.

“Are you still angry?”

“Yes, but a lot less now, thanks to you.”

Delia smiled and turned her body to face her wife. She slipped her hand behind Patsy’s head, and gave her a soft kiss.

“I love you,” Patsy hummed.

“I love you too,” Delia took her wife’s bottom lip into her mouth and gave the soft lip a nip.

“Delia,” Patsy gasped.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No, but…”

Delia repeated the motion before her wife could say another word.

“What are you doing?” Patsy gasped again.

“Helping you focus your energy on better things.”

“Well, alright,” Patsy laughed and let her wife kiss her again. This time Delia bit her lip a little harder and she groaned in pain.

Delia soothed the bite with her tongue and gently sucked on the red flesh. She traced a small circle on her wife’s lip, with her tongue, much like she would on Patsy’s sex.

“Delia…” Patsy breathed out. The familiar sensation caused her to imagine her wife between her thighs again.

“Do you want me to stop?” Delia asked softly.

“No,” Patsy whimpered. Her wife got a hold of her tongue and she moaned as Delia flicked it repeatedly with her tongue. “Oh…” she squeezed her thighs together when her arousal made its presence.

Delia smirked and brought a hand between them to cup her wife’s mound.

“What are you doing?” Patsy practically moaned from the contact.

“What do you think I’m doing?”

“Are you sure?” Patsy questioned. “It’s only been a few months since Peter-”

“Don’t you want me, Pats?”

“Always,” Patsy promised.

Delia smiled and pressed two fingers into the front of Patsy’s pyjamas.

“Oh,” Patsy gasped. Her wife was barely touching her, but she felt good.

Delia rubbed her fingers into the cotton and felt the heat growing within them.

“You’re a little… wet.”

“Uh-huh,” Patsy whimpered.

Delia smiled and slipped her hand into her wife’s pyjamas. She felt Patsy’s skin and moaned at the same time as her wife when she began to rub her aching bud.

“I want to touch you too,” Patsy breathed out.

Delia took her wife’s hand and brought it to the front of her pyjamas. Patsy mirrored her movements, and the two of them moved against each other. Heavy breaths filled the room, and the two women moaned as their movements quickened. Still fully clothed in their pyjamas, forearms burning from the work they were putting in, they made each other feel good.

Patsy came first, her chin-to-chest, and her fingers going limp inside Delia for a moment. When she regained her composure, she began to move in and out of her wife again, quickening her pace until she came.

“Christ…” Delia’s whole body tensed and then collapsed on top of her wife.

Patsy smiled and gave her wife a kiss on the forehead. They were both a little sweaty and she smirked at how eager they were. They didn’t even stop to take their pyjamas off.

“I’ve missed that,” Delia admitted with a soft sigh of relief.

“I’ve missed it too,” Patsy replied. “Was that okay? Did it sting?”

“No... why? Did it sting the first time we had sex, after you had Elisabeth?”

“A little.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Delia perked up and looked down at her wife with worried eyes.

“It was barely worth complaining about,” Patsy reassured.

“Patsy...” Delia gave her wife an unimpressed look.

“I was focusing my energy on the positive things,” Patsy excused.

“You know that’s different,” Delia scolded.

“Okay, I should have told you…” Patsy admitted.

“I can’t believe you didn’t,” Delia said in disbelief.

“Hey,” Patsy soothed her thumb up and down the space between her wife’s brows, “I’m not sleeping beside a big angry bear.”

“I can’t believe you-” Delia huffed.

“So it hurt a little, it wasn’t a big deal. Gosh, I was just happy to have you in my arms again. If it really bothered me, I would have asked you to stop.”

Delia huffed again.

“You’re angry, now name three things that make you happy,” Patsy demanded.

Delia furrowed her brows. “Patsy being truthful, mutually enjoyable sex, and open communication,” she listed.

“Good,” Patsy smirked. “Are you still angry at me?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, list three more things…”

“Beach bonfires, ice creams, and building sandcastles with the children.”

“Good, are you still angry?”

“No,” Delia sighed and longed for the day Peter would be big enough to play on the beach with his sister.

“Good,” Patsy smiled and snuggled her wife. “I like this, focusing on the positive things.”

“Me too,” Delia had to admit.

The two women laid in comfortable silence.

“Delia, I know you want to go out there and change the world, but I think we can still do that by raising two wonderful children who love people for who they are, regardless of colour or who they love.”

“I know,” Delia replied softly.

“Who knows, maybe Elisabeth will become a female lawyer, and she can help many homosexual couples with their benificiaries.”

“Maybe,” Delia said hopefully.

“I want to change the world too,” Patsy admitted. “But I also want to give our children an opportunity to thrive. We can’t give them that if we’re unemployed.”

“Right,” Delia sighed and rested her head on her wife’s chest. “I suppose we’ll have to endure all this so that our children don’t have to.”

“That’s exactly it,” Patsy agreed sadly. “We’ll have to live in secret so our children can have the best they can have.”

000

As she promised, Delia let go of the idea of joining the activist groups. She didn’t seek out opportunities to join, or look for reading material on their cause. She went about her life, caring for her family and raising her children. That was, until the GLF started-up in Brighton and they were spreading awareness of their group on the pier one day while Delia was walking with her children.

000

Patsy hopped off her bicycle as she neared their home and walked the two-wheeled contraption the rest of the way. She parked it against the house, beside their family car. She finally knew how to drive, but it was still easier to get around the district on her bicycle, since she didn’t have to worry about finding a place to park the car. Though, the car was still useful, after work. She leaned over and used the side mirror to fix her appearance before heading inside.

“I’m home!” Patsy announced.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Delia smiled. She was on the living room carpet with Elisabeth, who was playing with her blocks.

“Peter asleep?”

“Just settled in for a nap,” Delia confirmed. “I’ll have dinner ready in an hour.”

“Great, I’m starving…” Patsy set her work bag on the floor and went into the kitchen to grab a tall glass of cold water. As she took a seat at the kitchen table, she noticed the pamphlets and pins that occupied the surface. “Delia…” she called out.

“Mum will be right back,” Delia told their daughter.

“What’s all this?” Patsy scattered the pamphlets and skimmed through them.

Delia walked into the kitchen and stood in front of her wife. “I might have joined the GLF...”

“Delia...” Patsy huffed.

“I had to do something, Pats-”

“You could lose your job, Delia.”

“I spoke to them, Patsy. It’s not a cult. We’re not obligated to be at every single rally, we can support as much as we want, and we can walk away whenever we please.”

Patsy seemed to simmer.

“Would you join me?”

“I’ll have to think about it.”

“This is what they stand for, Pats…” Delia offered her wife the pamphlet. “It would be wonderful, if we succeed in creating these changes. They want to eliminate sexual roles so people can go into professions that suit their talents, not just their sex. They want to redefine the nuclear family to fit families like ours, Pats. They’re standing up to racism, and sexism, and they want a world where people are seen for who they are, not what they look like or who they love behind closed doors.”

Patsy sat back and let her wife stand on her soapbox. Ever so slowly, Delia worked her magic and convinced her to join the gay liberation group.

000

“Welcome,” a woman named Vera spoke at the front of the small living room. “We apologise for the small space, my wife and I are still working on renting a place to host our bimonthly meetings. Regardless, I want to welcome everyone, those we’ve seen before, and those who have joined us for the first time. Your support, whether big or small, will be appreciated.”

“Agreed,” Vera’s wife, a woman named Alexandra, spoke up. “First order of business, I’ve received the new poster designs from the GLF in London. If anyone has a talent for poster paint, your contribution will be well appreciated.”

A man raised his hand to volunteer, and so did a few other people.

“Great,” Alexandra smiled and gave him the poster design that was to be copied.

“Once those are done, can we have another set of volunteers post them around the community?” Vera asked.

Delia glanced at Patsy with hopeful eyes. She so badly wanted to do something.

Patsy shook her head in denial. She was hoping their first contribution to the GLF would be something less involved than walking around the community. They delivered babies in peoples homes, they had patients around every corner who could spot them putting up these posters.

Delia sighed quietly and kept her hand down.

000

The drive home was quiet, and afterwards, Patsy and Delia sat in the car for a moment.

“What did you think?” Delia asked.

“If I’m being honest, I don’t think posters are going to change people’s minds.”

“Well, it could be a start,” Delia said hopefully. “Haven’t you ever seen an advert for toothpaste and decided to give it a try?”

“Changing toothpaste is hardly the same as changing one’s stance on homosexuality,” Patsy countered.

Delia went quiet.

“Delia, I promise we’ll do something for the GLF one day, just not something that involves us being seen by the community.”

“Fine,” Delia huffed and opened her door.

“Wait,” Patsy called out before her wife could leave her.

“I have to go in and pay the babysitter,” Delia excused.

“Delia,” Patsy pleaded. “I don’t want you to resent me for this, I’m just being careful.”

“I know,” Delia sighed. “That’s why I’m upset, because you’re right. We can’t risk being seen or we’ll jeopardise our childrens’ future.”

000

Three meetings later, the perfect job came up for Patsy and Delia. Vera had asked for volunteers to make baked goods, while another set of volunteers would sell them at the community centre. They were running low on funds and the money raised would go into buying poster supplies. Delia volunteered to make her famous welsh cakes.

Patsy agreed to help, and drove herself to the grocer the next morning to buy the supplies while Delia stayed at home with the kids. She narrowed her eyes as she read the list Delia had given her, and got a dozen eggs, milk, flour, caster sugar, ground mace, cinnamon, and lard.

“Nurse Mount!” a chirpy woman greeted.

“Oh, hi!” Patsy jumped, nearly dropping the jar of lard.

“Remember us?” the woman asked. “You delivered our boy, Cyril…” she glanced around her and spotted the four year old boy who was running up and down the aisles.

“Oh, yes, nice to see you,” Patsy smiled. “My, how he’s grown…” 

“If only he’d stop growing,” the woman laughed. “I’ve had to buy him another pair of trousers this week!”

Patsy smiled.

“I’m Pam, if you don’t remember,” Pam re-introduced herself. “I see you’re buying quite a lot of flour, do you bake?”

“A little,” Patsy admitted.

“Well, here… let me help you with your basket…” Pam took the basket from Patsy’s hand.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Patsy blushed.

“It’s the least I can do,” Pam insisted. “You’ve done so much for our boy, when he came earlier than expected.”

“I’m happy to do my job,” Patsy smiled.

“My that’s a big jar of lard! What are you making?” Pam asked.

“Welsh cakes.”

“I didn’t know you were Welsh.”

“I’m not. My housemate is.”

“Oh, you’re still not married?” Pam asked.

“No,” Patsy’s voice answered, though her heart said yes. She was happily married to Delia.

“A beautiful woman like you, with a respectable career, and a talent for baking? That can’t be,” Pam gasped. “You know, I’ve got a brother-”

“I’m not really interested,” Patsy admitted.

“Oh…” Pam furrowed her brows, a little offended.

“I’m devoted to my work,” Patsy added. “And I’m raising my sister’s children, since she passed away.”

“On your own?” Pam asked with widened eyes.

“We’re managing,” Patsy promised.

“Well, my brother Gary loves children,” Pam harped on. “He’s an accountant for a construction company-”

“Really, Pam, I’m not interested.”

“Why not? You haven’t even met him. Do you think the Hammonds aren’t good enough to marry a Mount because we’re made of new money?”

“No, I’m rather happy on my own,” Patsy promised.

Pam began to giggle. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. Don’t you want a man to whisk you away and make you happier?”

“Honestly, I don’t need a man to be happy.”

Pam eyed Patsy suspiciously.

“Anyways, thank you for carrying my items…” Patsy quickly changed the subject as they approached the till girl. “It was nice running into you, Pam.”

“It was nice running into you too…” Pam breathed out, but she thought it was rather peculiar that the young nurse had no desire to get married to a man.

000

Three mornings later, Patsy received a knock on her door. She opened it and gasped when she saw Pam.

“Pam…” Patsy greeted.

“I want to apologise for how I acted, the other day. I’m afraid I made things rather awkward at the store. I shouldn’t have been so persistent about you meeting my brother, and I should have respected your wishes not to marry a man.”

“No need to apologise, no harm done,” Patsy promised.

“Anyways, here’s a basket of my mother’s scones. I’m sure they won’t compare to your Welsh cakes, but I hope you enjoy them…” Pam lifted the basket.

“Thank you,” Patsy gave the woman a smile and took the basket into her arms.

Pam took a look inside the house, while Patsy took a look inside the basket, and Pam widened her eyes when she saw Nurse Busby, sitting on a chair, feeding a baby at her breast.

“Thank you, Pam, this has been most unnecessary,” Patsy thanked the woman again.

“Enjoy,” Pam forced a smile and then began quickly walking home.

“O-okay…” Patsy furrowed her brows and watched the strange woman practically run down the street.

“Who was that?” Delia asked when her wife returned to the living room with a basket of baked goods.

“Pam Smith,” Patsy answered awkwardly.

“What’s wrong?” Delia asked.

“I don’t know,” Patsy shook her head. “She rubs me the wrong way.”

000

The next morning, Patsy reported for duty at the clinic. She walked in, checked the assignment board, and furrowed her brows when she didn’t see her name.

“Nurse McKay…” Patsy called on her superior.

“Would you come into my office please, Nurse Mount?” Nurse McKay asked.

Patsy gulped and followed the older nurse into the small office. She took a seat when the other nurse indicated for her to do so.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why your name isn’t on the board...”

“Yes, have my patients decided to have hospital births?”

“No. I’ve removed you from the roster because I have reason to believe you’ve been dishonest to this clinic.”

“I beg your pardon?” Patsy sat up.

“I know you and Nurse Busby share a house, your father’s house, to be exact. You two have lived together for quite a few years now, seems you two are very close _friends_.”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Patsy sounded brave and unbothered, but she feared where the conversation was going.

“Three months ago, Nurse Busby returned from Wales and has taken on a smaller patient load due to headaches she experiences, related to a cycling accident she endured nearly a decade ago, is this correct?”

“If that’s what she told you. I’m not aware of all of Nurse Busby’s medical history, since it’s confidential information-”

“I will not be made a fool,” Nurse McKay demanded. “I have reason to believe Nurse Busby had gotten herself pregnant with an illegitimate child, and now the two of you are raising this child together, as lovers, along with a child you claim to be your niece.”

Patsy took shorter breaths to control her breathing.

“I would like to see the childrens’ birth certificates-”

“Nurse McKay,” Patsy stood up and clenched her hands into fists.

“Until then, you two are off the roster,” Nurse McKay said firmly. “We are a respectable practice, Nurse Mount. We do not hire midwives with dark secrets.”

000

“Oh, sweetheart…” Delia soothed her crying wife.

“I’m sorry,” Patsy shook her head and cried into her wife’s shirt.

Delia sniffed back her own tears and tried to be strong for her wife.

“Pam must have seen you that morning, with Peter. I shouldn’t have opened the door so wide, I shouldn’t have-” Patsy cried some more. “I wish I never answered the door.”

“We’ll figure this out,” Delia soothed, “We always do.”

Patsy’s shoulders heaved as she cried.

“Oh, Patsy…” Delia began to cry. She hated seeing her wife so upset.

“Peter... Elisabeth… Delia…” Patsy mumbled into her wife’s shirt.

“What?” Delia couldn’t understand her wife.

“Peter, Elisabeth, Delia,” Patsy repeated over and over again as she cried. “Peter, Elisabeth, Delia. Peter, Elisabeth, Delia. Peter, Elisabeth, Delia. Peter, Elisabeth, Delia.”

Delia tightened her hold around her trembling wife. Patsy was listing three things that made her happy, desperately trying to focus her energy on something positive.

“Peter, Elisabeth,” Patsy took a shaky breath, “Delia.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Delia promised. “We’re going to get through this, Pats. We’re Busby-Mounts!”

000

Patsy’s lawyer, a Mister Clive Rich, had a first-class reputation. He was very good at finding loopholes and gaps within the law that would benefit his clients. He did not care if his clients were gay, lesbian, innocent, or even guilty. He delivered what his clients wanted, as long as they could pay his fees.

“What’s all this?” Nurse McKay asked as the entourage entered her office.

“Hello, Nurse McKay. My name is Clive Rich, and I’m Miss Mount’s lawyer,” the man took off his hat and extended his hand.

Nurse McKay, though a tough woman, was civil and shook his hand.

“I’ve come to deliver the Mount children’s birth certificates,” he stated. “May we have a seat?”

She nodded in agreement.

Patsy and Delia stood as Nurse McKay sat in the chair behind her desk and Clive sat on the chair in front of the desk.

“I don’t understand why a lawyer is necessary...” the old nurse admitted, glancing up at Patsy and Delia over her glasses, “I only asked to see the legitimacy of the children they’re caring for.”

“That’s why I’m here, Nurse McKay. You see, I have been of service to the notable Mount Family for many years now, and I was selected to take care of the estate of Elisabeth Mount, Patsy’s recently deceased sister.”

Patsy and Delia were impressed. Clive was a very believable liar, as were most lawyers, Patsy and Delia were sure.

“I thought she lived in Singapore,” Nurse McKay pointed out.

“She did, but as you can imagine, the majority of her family wealth resides in the United Kingdom,” Clive argued. “I have kept in contact with Miss Elisabeth Mount while she continued to live in Singapore.”

“So where are these birth certificates?” Nurse McKay asked.

Clive took out three documents and carefully placed them in front of the old nurse.

“The birth certificate of Elisabeth Mount the second, born on September 2nd, 1968 in Alexandra Hospital, Singapore, to mother Elisabeth Mount and no listed father. The birth certificate of Peter Mount the second, born March 4th, 1970 in Alexandra Hospital, Singapore, to mother Elisabeth Mount and no listed father. The death certificate of Elisabeth Mount, born December 13th, 1936 and died March 7th, 1970, a few days after giving birth to Peter, due to complications related to her concurrent battle with Typhoid.”

Nurse McKay inspected the paper documents. The birth certificates were on Manila paper and looked different from the birth certificates she’d ever seen, but she figured that’s what birth certificates must have looked like in Singapore.

“You’re right, Nurse McKay,” Clive spoke again. “The Mount family does have a dark secret. Elisabeth and Peter are illegitimate. The late Miss Mount was unwed when she and her lover had their children in Singapore. Nevertheless, these children deserve a warm home with their aunt, Patience Mount, who so happens to earn extra income from her tenant, Delia Busby, who rents a room at her home. I can confirm this with five years worth of rent receipts...” Clive began to go into his expensive leather briefcase.

“I don’t understand,” Nurse McKay shook her head. “Nurse Busby was seen with the child at her breast.”

“That’s another reason why I’m here, Nurse McKay,” Clive took out another document from his briefcase. “Pam Smith... she is secretary to her brother, Gary Hammond, who is an accountant for the Marshall-Perry Construction Company. Before that, she was a receptionist for Barclays Bank in Worthing until she was dismissed for blackmailing employees and… slander.”

“Oh my,” Nurse McKay gasped.

“Pam Smith approached my client at the grocery store and asked her for a sum of money. When my client declined, Pam Smith proceeded to pester her at her home. This is where Pam allegedly saw Nurse Mount’s tenant, Nurse Busby, with Peter Mount and fabricated the lie.”

“That’s horrible,” the old nurse huffed.

“Are you satisfied with the case I have presented, Nurse McKay?” Clive asked.

“I suppose…” the old nurse sighed and took off her glasses. “I owe you an apology, Nurse Mount and Nurse Busby. You two have been very valuable to this practice and I let one false claim disrupt your reputation. I hope you accept my apology.”

Patsy and Delia expressed their forgiveness.

“I will put your name back on the roster tomorrow morning, Nurse Mount. As for you, Nurse Busby, I hope your health returns and we can put you back on the roster with a full patient load. We miss you terribly.”

“I’m glad that’s settled then,” Clive closed his briefcase.

“It was nice meeting you, Mister Rich. Though I hope we don’t have to see each other in my office again.”

Clive put his hat back on his head and tipped his hat. “Good day, Nurse McKay.”

000

“Is it true, what you said about Pam?” Patsy asked when they were in the parking lot.

“No,” Clive shook his head. “I had to discredit her account of the events that morning.”

“Where did you get those certificates from?” Delia asked. She was dying to know.

“My wife made them last night,” Clive revealed.

“Is that a criminal offence?” Patsy wondered.

“It’s only a criminal offence to present false documents to a judge,” Clive reassured. “Unless it’s proof of education or qualifications for a job, showing an employer miscellaneous documents, such as your child’s birth certificate, is not regulated by law.”

“Oh, Clive...” Patsy laughed in relief, “I could just kiss you!”

Delia laughed. “Me too!” 

Later that afternoon, Clive, Patsy, and Delia stopped by the Smith residence.

“Yes?” Pam opened the door and stepped back when she saw Patsy.

“Missus Smith,” Clive smiled. “I’m Clive Rich, Miss Mount’s Lawyer, how do you do?”

“What do you want?”

“I’ve got a contract for you to sign,” Clive held the pen and paper in his hands. “I believe you’ve been spreading slander about my client-”

“It’s not slander, I know what I saw!”

“Well, I can’t confirm the adequacy of your eyesight. However, if you continue to speak of Miss Mount and Miss Busby’s private life, and what you may or may not have seen that day, I will be forced to share this article about a raid at your mother’s brothel, seven years ago. It appears that your family made a lot of money off street drugs and under-aged girls...”

Pam stood, stunned. “This is blackmail,” she blurted out.

“Pam, who is it?” Mister Smith called out from somewhere in the house.

“I hope your husband knows how the Hammonds came by their wealth,” Clive said with a neutral expression.

“Pam?” Mister Smith approached from behind his wife.

Pam quickly took the paper and signed it. “Yes, fine, I’ll sign your petition to keep Brighton Beach clean.”

Clive smiled and tipped his hat. “Good day, Mister and Missus Smith.”

~ 2 Years Later ~

The GLF held its first meeting at the community center and each one of the fifty seats that Vera and Alexandra set out had a body in them. Patsy and Delia sat at the front, as they always did, and listened in on what work had to be done that week.

“We’ve been informed by the London GLF that we are invited to join them at the first British Pride Rally in London. Vera and I will be renting a bus, and I’ll pass a clipboard around shortly to see how many people would be interested in coming.”

As the clipboard came to them, Delia simply passed it along, knowing her wife wouldn’t be interested in going to such a public event. Patsy also passed it along, but only because she didn’t want to take the bus with Vera and Alexandra. Not when she could drive her own car and maybe visit some friends while they were in London.

After the end of the meeting, Patsy and Delia helped put the chairs away and said goodnight to their friends before retreating to their car.

“I wonder if Bethany can babysit on July 1st...” Patsy thought out loud.

“What?” Delia didn’t think she heard right.

“The rally, from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park. Gosh, Delia, weren’t you paying attention to the meeting?” Patsy laughed.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Delia gasped. She didn’t think her wife would want to go.

“We have to go, Delia,” Patsy told her wife. “We have been through too much to stop fighting for our family. Our family has a right to exist, and we have a right to be in love, and that’s why we have to march."

Delia smiled and jumped into her wife’s arms. “I love you, Patience Busby-Mount.”

Patsy smiled and rested her cheek on her wife’s head. “I love you too, Delia Busby-Mount.”

In 1972 they marched at Hyde Park.

In 1984 they marched with the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners.

In 2004 they marched for civil partnerships.

In 2014 they marched for legal marriage.

In May of 2014, they marched down the aisle to legally wed.


End file.
